Restoration
by Mina225
Summary: This continues the story of Willie and Barnabas (The first story is 'The Beginning" ) Willie continues to find himself in the clutches of Barnabas Collins ( Evil vampire extraordinaire) and finds himself forced into a relationship that he cannot protect. I do not own the Willie / Barnabas characters. A/N: The sequel to this story has begun, Return to Collinwood.
1. Chapter 1 - Warm and Inviting

**Warm and Inviting**

It was mid-morning when the young woman walked up to the grand entrance of the old house, her eyes wide as she stood in front of it soaking in its appearance. The front was worn down from years of neglect and the trees were overgrown pushing against the paint. The shutters were half on their hinges and paint peeled off where the harsh storms whipped debris against it. It needed a lot of work, but its grandeur was impressive. It was exactly what she hoped it would be. She walked up to the porch and couldn't resist taking a peek through the front window before she knocked on the door.

The sun was shining into the great room and the shadows from the curtains caused the rays to cast sparkles across the floor. It was a beautiful room, so warm and inviting, and the detail in the architecture and furniture was impeccable. The wallpaper was torn and the paint was peeling, it still needed much restoration, but even so she had fanciful images of the house back in its original time, beautiful parties and people flitting around. As she scanned the room she was filled with excitement to be allowed the chance to follow the houses restoration.

Her gaze then fell on something she wasn't expecting and her thoughts of debutants and dashing gentlemen disappeared. It fell on a man sitting in a chair facing the window. She quickly pulled back afraid he might have seen her spying in. She waited a few minutes before she bravely crept back towards the window to peer in. She was relieved that he didn't see her. He was a young man, sitting in a chair with his elbows resting on his knees and his head cradled in his hands that weaved in and out of his blonde hair. She watched as he sat there, his body ever so slightly shuttering up and down. She found herself transfixed on him, and when he pulled his head up she was surprised to see that this wasn't just a man resting his head and taking a break from his work. This man was crying, and even though she had never seen him before her heart released a twinge of sadness for him. The sun sparkled off of his damp eyes and he pulled his arms up and used his sleeve to wipe the tears from his face. My God how tortured he looked; it was as if all the sorrow in the world had been given to him to own. She watched him sit there for a few minutes, soaking in the young man. He was handsome she thought, soft blue eyes that sparkled even though they carried a heavy sadness in them. When he moved to stand she saw his eyes wince and his face twisted as he grabbed at his side. He was hurt she thought. She then became uncomfortable; here she was spying on this poor man during a vulnerable moment, one where he clearly thought he was alone. She had invaded his privacy and she felt guilty. She shouldn't have done that, but now that she did she couldn't possible knock on the door. She wrapped her coat tightly around her suddenly aware of how cool it had gotten and turned and walked away from the old house. She would return in a day or two, she would not peer through the window next time.

* * *

Willie came in from the back of the house, arms full of paint and brushes and pans for rolling. He tossed it all down on the kitchen table hating the fact that he needed to scratch all of the rotted paint and wallpaper from the walls in the great room.

He hated this house and he was exhausted, there was no sleep last night.

It started out like any other horrific evening in the old house. Barnabas would rise and begin to haunt the front room until Willie found something for him to feed upon.

If it was a good night Willie would finish up doing whatever mundane tasks Barnabas had for him and eventually be allowed to return to his room before Barnabas would leave for the evening. But before he would go he would lock Willie's bedroom door from the outside making sure he was kept in place during the evening hours. Willie didn't understand fully why, he fought it at first and would pound on the door for hours until he would either collapse from exhaustion or worse when IT would return to beat him for disobedience. Eventually Willie started to understand that it wasn't a matter of trust, no if it were he wouldn't be able to go unrestrained during the day. It was simply for the point of it. It was a matter of ultimate control and to remind Willie to remember his place. It also made it quite convenient when the Vampire needed to feed in the night, Willie was always right there within Its reach. In any case it was better than having to be in the cell in the basement; no… he didn't want to go back to that if he could help it.

Every night Willie would place his hands on the door knob testing to see if it was locked, and every night it was and Willie would let out a soft whimper and his heart would swell with a low defeated feeling. And like clockwork, just before dawn, the key would turn again allowing Willie to leave and begin his duties, and wait for the night to come once again.

On some occasions Willie would find a way to fall asleep only to be woken up by IT standing over him. Willie knew what It wanted and in those nights he would push himself up against the headboard and begin pleading with It to not do it anymore. His begging was worthless, the Vampire would reach down and pull Willies wrist to Its mouth and begin to suck against his skin. The pain was always fierce and there wasn't a single place in his body that had any refuge from the agony of it. The Vampires mouth was cold and wet and IT would suck against his skin pulling the blood from the far extremities of Willies body until Willie would be close to passing out. And then without saying a word IT would walk out of the room. Willie would lay there and sob quietly from both the pain and the horror of his life as he listened to the familiar sounds of the key turn in the lock of his door. When he fell asleep nightmares would enter his mind and many times he would awaken to the sounds of his own screams.

But last night, last night was different. Barnabas sent him away to bed as he always did, told him to stay there until morning. Willie carried a small candle up to his room so that he didn't have to climb the stairs and navigate his way down the desolate hallway in the dark. He set the candle down on the dresser and changed into a thin t-shirt and flannel pants. As he tightened the drawstring around his waist a draft blew through the room and the candle flickered and died in the night. "Shit!" Willie turned to grab the matches but they weren't there. "Where the hell are the matches_? " _ He searched around to find them, emptied the pockets of the pants he was wearing hoping he stuck them in there, but there was nothing. "Shit Shit!" He wasn't sure if he had left them somewhere and began to panic at the thought of being without light. He turned and looked at the door, and realized he never heard the sound of the key. He always heard the key turn, but tonight he didn't.

He rushed to the door and with a shaking hand reached down and turned the knob slowly and the door began to open. Willie froze, contemplating leaving. He knew he could no longer sleep in the dark and his room had only a small window which allowed very little if any moonlight in. After those first few horrifying nights with Barnabas, being tormented in the night and left in the darkness, Willie had become terrified of the dark. Not to mention that it was cold in that house and without a fire he would nearly freeze.

He knew the large room down the hall had matches and he could just grab them and return to his room right away, no harm in that he thought. The room was just down the hallway from his. He would just walk down and grab them and hurry back.

Willie made his way down the hall to the room and as soon as he entered he froze, the sick sour feeling grew in an instant in his stomach and he clutched at his chest. There in the corner of the room sat Barnabas, flipping the matches between his long fingers, back and forth, looking at Willie...waiting for him.

"I told you not to leave that room Willie, it was not a suggestion."

"I-I jus…I-t was dark. Too dark Barnabas. And it's c-cold… I needed the fire. I can't … I-I don't wanna be in the dark. P-please I was gonna go right back … I was … really I was… "

"When will you learn Willie! If I tell you to do something you will DO it! "

It then stood up and raised Its cane up over Its head. Willie backed up as It came closer and closer.

"No…_NO_!" Willie gasped as he stared at It and backed into the hallway and then he turned and made a fruitless dash for his bedroom. It followed and with one huge swing brought the cane down like a baseball bat into Willie's side thrusting Willie into the side of the dresser. Willie hit the floor and gasped for the air that was knocked straight out of him. A pitcher of water sitting on the dresser sloshed back and forth after Willie slammed into it. Barnabas looked at the matches, gracefully flipping them several times between his fingers and then dropped them into the water.

"Oh Barnabas…no"Willie watched as the matches glided back and forth to the bottom of the pitcher.

IT then turned and shut the door…and locked it. Willie crawled to the door and put his hand up on it.

"Barnabas please… PLEASE! Don't leave me! Not in the dark...P-Please don't leave me in the dark. Why are you doing this?"

When the door unlocked just before dawn Willie was still awake, huddled and shivering in the chair next to the dark fireplace. He turned and faced the door, hoping the Vampire wouldn't come in, and It didn't. Willie got dressed, the pain in his side piercing him as he twisted to get his shirt and pants on. The bruise left on his side ran across from his back to his front and was starting to turn several shades of purple and blue. Willie winced when he saw it and turned his head quickly so he didn't have to see it. He quickly finished getting dressed. There was no time for resting this morning, today his orders were the great room walls, he would need to get to the store and pick up the supplies early if he would make any headway on it today.

When he returned he dropped everything in the kitchen and walked into the great room. It had such a false calm about it. The sun was shining in and making the room look deceptively warm and inviting. He sat down in the chair that faced the window, closing his eyes and letting the sun beat down onto his face, the warmth soaking into his pale skin. As he sat there tears began to pool behind his eyes and eventually escape down his cheeks. He thought about the night before, taking a beating for leaving his room. He was a grown man reduced to nothing, it was humiliating, he was completely ashamed and as long as the Vampire was alive there wasn't a thing in the world he could do to change it. The tears continued to roll as he thought about it; he dropped his head in his hands and wept.

Several minutes passed when he decided he needed to get ahold of himself. This wasn't going to get his work done. _Enough Loomis…pull your shit together for God's sake._ Willie wiped his eyes and began to stand…the pain in his side shooting through him like an arrow. Painting would prove to be extremely difficult today.

* * *

Abigail returned to her apartment that night and began making dinner, her cousin would be over soon, but she couldn't get the image of that man out of her mind. Her heart ached when she thought about him sitting there, sobbing in the silence of that big house alone. She actually couldn't get him out of her mind since the minute she saw him. His eyes were a ghostly blue and his hair was swept over his forehead and she was instantly drawn to him.

Abigail hadn't been in Collinsport for very long, she moved there from Chicago where she had graduated from college after studying architecture and historic preservation. Her cousin lived in Collinsport and called her when the historical society was looking for someone to take over some of the local restoration projects. She grew tired of the city and thought that it might be a nice change of pace. After all, her family was originally from the East coast, it would be good to be closer to them again.

Abigail was fascinated by history; there was something magical about it for her. Sometimes she would daydream about living in the buildings she researched and would get lost in her own imagination about the time when they were first built. She was a hopeless romantic when it came to that.

When her cousin arrived she was thrilled to see him.

"Alex!"

They sat and talked over dinner reminiscing about old family times and some of the mischievous things they did during family gatherings. Alex asked about her new assignment and she was more than eager to talk about it.

"It's up at the Collinwood estate. The original house is being restored, it looks like such a beautiful place" she said.

"Ha! That place? That place is a dump, believe me. As kids we used to sneak up there and toss rocks at it. The Collins family is a strange group, they keep to themselves mostly. But they do own most of this town and just about everyone in it works for one of their investments in one way or another" Alex was not the biggest fan of the Collins family after his father was let go from the docks, but then again his father was a hopeless drunk so in some ways he understood.

"And what do you know about the people who live in that house? I am to call upon Barnabas Collins there in the next day or two. Is he a young man? "

"Oh Barnabas.." Alex's expression changed to one of concern and confusion. " He is a strange fella… from England. Guess he is one of the long lost cousins. Not really sure how old he is though, always wears a suit and carries the most strange cane. Has a golden wolfs head on the top. I don't like him, there is just something about him…can't put my finger on it."

"So he isn't a young man, blond wi…"

"Ugh… Willie" Alex interrupted her. "Stay away from him. He is stranger that the rest of 'em. He lives there in that house. I think he is actually doing all of the restoration work himself. He caused nothing but trouble for people before he started workin' for Barnabas. I'd see him get into fights more times than not. From what I understand he got pretty sick, almost died even, and after he recovered he started workin' for Barnabas. Now he rarely speaks to anyone, always walks with his head down to avoid contact with people. Comes into town to pick things up for the house, I see him every now and again. The whole town knows him and avoids him as much as he avoids everyone else. Strange guy, I don't think he has a single friend here, Barnabas must be payin' him a pretty penny, that's the only reason I can think of that would keep him here. Where did ya see him?"

"Driving past the house, I stopped to get a better view of it, saw him near the side of the house I guess. I was just curious if that was Barnabas", she lied. She wouldn't ever share what she had seen through the window. What she saw was not a man of anger. What she saw as someone entirely different in a very deep and personal moment, and hearing his reputation and how people felt about him made her even more intrigued. She would wait a day or two and then go calling again and she hoped that Willie would be there to greet her.


	2. Chapter 2 - Withholding Information

**Withholding Information**

It was early morning and Abigail was sitting with her coffee in the park at the center of town. Shops and restaurants lined each side of it. It was a great place to come people watch and she loved sitting there in the morning taking in the view of all the original architecture; restoration of this downtown would be a big task, a task that excited her.

She sat and watched as moms and their children hustled between stores, men in suits dashed to the court house, and teenagers walked to school carrying all their books on their backs and laughed as they stole a smoke without their parents knowing. It was such a quaint town she thought, so different from Chicago, and for just a moment she missed the noise of the big city.

As she sat eying the activities in front of her she suddenly felt her stomach flop when her gaze fell upon a familiar face. The face of someone she had not formerly met. She instantly felt a bit nervous as she watched him walk out of the diner with a coffee in one hand and a large bag in the other. This would be the second time she would observe him without his knowing. He started walking down the street when the bag he was carrying began to rip from the bottom and the contents of it dropped to the sidewalk along with the coffee he was carrying, spilling onto the ground. He bent down and nervously began to pull all of the things to a pile as some items rolled across the sidewalk. She noticed he reached for his side again as he bent down, he must still be hurt and she wondered what happened. He grabbed a box from the pile, opened it and pulled out a garbage bag and then began grabbing the items and stuffing them into the bag. She watched as people passed him on the street, walking clear around him and not a single person stopped to help him or offer any assistance. They all just kept walking, stepping over his items as if he didn't even exist. He managed to get everything in the bag, tossed the bag over his shoulder, picked up his empty coffee cup and threw it in the trash. He then ducked his head and started walking towards the parking lot. As she watched she noticed the other people on the street as well, they all cleared a way for him, made room for him to pass while looking away from him. Some even turned and looked back at him after he passed, whispering who knows what to one another. She then felt guilty that she didn't get up and go over to help him, she shook her head at herself disappointed.

Willie just continued on, said nothing, never looked up and walked to his truck. It broke her heart a little to see how little compassion people showed him, he must have done some terrible things for people to treat him this way. But she just couldn't see this man, the man she saw sobbing alone in despair, as someone who deserved this kind of treatment. It was so strange, he was as interesting to her as any building had ever been, and she hadn't stopped thinking about him since that first day on the steps of the old house. Today she would make a trip there and begin not just her work on the house, but also try to unravel the mystery of this man.

* * *

Willie made his way into town. He had only a few stops to make today, one of them the grocery store. His appetite was slowly returning to him and he found that he could keep some food in him now. Ever since that first night when the Vampire sunk his fangs into his veins he had not been able to eat, nor did he have the desire too and oddly it seemed he didn't need to. Whatever IT transferred into his body made him able to live without it. He found it ironic that IT needed to feed every night and he had no desire to eat at all. But a couple of months had passed and slowly his appetite was returning. He had tried to eat several times in those first few weeks but he found that as soon as the food hit his stomach it would violently reject it and he would spend hours in uncontrollable spasms. Now though he could keep some food down, soups mostly, bread, coffee, but not much else.

He picked up the items he needed and stopped in to grab a coffee. He liked this diner; you could pour the coffee yourself and just drop the money on the counter. He never had to talk to anyone and no one ever tried to talk with him. The only downside was the smell, the aroma of eggs and sausage and bacon in the air usually made him nauseous, he was not ready for that yet. But here he could go in and out without ever being noticed. He couldn't risk contact with the other townspeople. He didn't want to ever draw anyone into his life, it wasn't safe for someone to know him or even care about him. He thought of himself as a terrible plague, and if you came too close you would certainly catch it and die. He did his best to keep everyone away from him and ultimately away from IT. The loneliness haunted him most days, but there was no other way.

As he walked out of the diner the coffee was hot and the bag that he was carrying was starting to rip open. He tried to catch the bottom of the bag to support it but the cans of soup were heavy and ripped the bag forcing him to drop both his coffee and the items he was carrying.

"Shit"

Willie dropped down and winced as his side pinched from the blow he took the night before last, and for the briefest moment he paused and pushed back a quiet moan remembering spending the night in the freezing darkness.

He quickly looked around his scattered items and was thankful that one of the items he picked up was garbage bags. He must have gone through a thousand of them by now with all the junk and crap that was in that old house. He tore the box open, pulled out a bag and as fast as he could he picked everything up and shoved it in. He didn't even notice the people around him he just wanted to quickly get out of there and back to the old house where he could be alone. He did really want that coffee though, but there was no way he would go back into the diner. They saw him from the window drop everything and he admittedly was a little more than embarrassed. He tossed the bag over his shoulder and rushed back to the truck.

* * *

Abigail packed up her things and made her way to the car. She thought for a moment that maybe she would stop and pick up coffee, knowing he had dropped his, but that might look suspicious. She definitely did not want him to find out that she watched him in the house, nor did she want him to know she was watching him in the morning from the park. No, she would just head up to the house and knock on the door.

Willie was high on a ladder that was resting against the fireplace in the great room and pulling wallpaper from the wall; wallpaper that he swore must have been there 200 years. He tried to explain to Barnabas that pulling this wallpaper down was an enormous task, the mortar behind it crumbling as he would pull. Barnabas did not seem to care at all. "I leave the problem entirely up to you." It said, "The wallpaper will come down." This room was going to take a small lifetime to fix.

When he heard the knock on the front door Willie jolted around almost falling from the ladder.

_Who the hell? _He waited a minute hoping that whoever it was would just go away. But the pounding continued. Willie climbed down from the ladder and peered out the front window to see who was there. He was surprised to see a young women standing there, someone he had never seen before. What on earth could she want? She shouldn't be here he thought. He would need to get rid of her and make sure she didn't ever want to come back to that house.

Willie stood in front of the door, his hand shaking as he opened it.

Abigail stood there as the door slowly opened, and when she saw him standing in front of her she had an uncontrollable smile on her face. She looked at him, his head was turned down and he looked at her through the blonde sweeps of hair that were speckled with mortar and paint.

"Wh-What can I do for ya? " Willie was stammering. He looked towards her, trying not to notice her face or make any kind of contact with her at all. He pulled his hand up through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"My name is Abigail Chilton, I have been asked to document the restoration of this wonderful house. Is Mr. Collins in? " She was nervous, but stood there as though she always belonged on the porch of that old house.

"N-no he ain't here. Why would ya want to document this house? That ain't a good idea, you…you shouldn't come back here. " Willie was still avoiding eye contact with her. He didn't want to look at her, didn't even want her stepping one foot in that house. If he could help it no one would ever go into that house. He began to shut the door but Abigail quickly put her foot in front of it.

"Oh don't be silly, this is such a beautiful place. I am very eager to begin learning its history. When will Mr. Collins be back?" She desperately wanted to talk to Willie but first she must make sure Mr. Collins would accept her participation in the restoration. She was not about to let him shut the door on her, at least not without a second invitation to come back.

"Well…I-I dunno. Not for a long time I suppose." Willie stammered.

"Oh.. well… perhaps you would allow me to come in and wait? I'm sorry I didn't get your name…"

"NO!.. no you can't come in and wait. " Willie wished he wouldn't have snapped the way he did, but if Barnabas found out that he allowed someone in, especially a stranger, he would pay for it dearly.

She looked at him intently trying to figure out a way to at the very least get him to look at her. She wanted to see his face up close. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to impose. I can sometimes be too forward, please accept my apology." Abigail was sorry too, she didn't mean to push him, clearly he was wounded from something, and not physically. She could tell just by watching him in the front room the day before that he had far deeper troubles that haunted him.

He felt bad when she apologized and his eyes slowly raised and looked at hers. She stared into his face, his eyes were catching the sunlight and made the pale blue color jump out at her. They were glassy and she thought he looked so melancholy, but she was instantly attracted to him. It was strange; she had never had that kind of reaction to another human being before. In a way she didn't like it, it made her uncomfortable.

"Please, you have to go. I'm sorry to be rude, but you shouldn't come back here Ms. Chilton." Willie's voice was soft and pleading. He looked directly into her eyes seriously hoping that he made himself clear.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you" she was the one that put her head down now, the sincerity and intensity in his stare overwhelmed her. She could no longer look into his eyes for fear her heart would break with the unspoken sorrow she saw. If only she hadn't watched him through the front window and noticed him this morning and how people treated him.

"Please let Mr. Collins know I was here. He can reach me at this number." She handed Willie a card and he took it and put it into his front pocket. "Thank you for your time." She turned around and left, this didn't go the way she had hoped.

Willie closed the door behind her and then watched her leave down the long driveway through the front window. He thought how different she was from many of the other women in town. She was confident and relaxed at the same time. She dressed casually, and seemed so down to earth. Her hair fell around her face softly and slightly messy. She was definitely not from around here that was for sure. And when he looked at her, into her eyes, he saw kindness there and curiosity too. The kind of curiosity that could get someone killed in the old house.

He watched until she was out of site, his loneliness swelled into his chest as she walked away, and he hoped he would never see her again.

* * *

"Willie did you make any progress today?" Willie jumped out of his skin burning himself with the match he was holding as he was lighting the candles, he didn't hear Barnabas enter the room and hearing his voice in the silence made him flinch.

"Y-Yes Barnabas. Wallpaper is all torn off now. I need to repair the mortar tomorrow and let it dry first." Nothing dried fast in the old house. It was always cold and damp, and the lack of electricity made it difficult to do anything past dusk.

Barnabas walked around the room looking at the walls with scrutiny. He then ran his hand over the fireplace mantel and around the side, and then he froze. Willie was standing near the doorway to the small hallway watching as Barnabas slowly turned towards him.

"What did you do here?" Barnabas' eyes were dark and menacing.

"I-I didn't … where…what are you talkin' about? I didn't do anythin' "

"Right here!" It ran Its long finger along the side of the mantel. "Come. Look."

Willie walked over and It grabbed Willies wrist and forced his hand to graze over the wood.

"Barnabas that gash was there. I-I didn't do that. It musta been there. I swear! I didn't touch the fireplace. I – I can fi…"

Barnabas pulled Willie up by the neck and grabbed the front of his shirt gathering the material in Its hand. It then began to feel around the shirt where Its hand was. Willie remembered the card and his hand instinctively reached up and clutched his pocket. Barnabas Pulled his hand away with bone crushing force and dug his long fingers into Willies front pocket. _No…oh no! _ It pulled out the card that Willie had put there this morning. He had forgotten it was there. He had no intention of giving it to Barnabas.

"What is this?" Willie was still in a vice like grip around his neck as he tried to talk.

Barnabas let him go and Willie fell to the floor. He looked up at It and as he rose he tried to explain, he started to lie.

"It's nothin' Barnabas. I-I was in town and a women was handing out cards to people on the street. I musta forgot about it. I shoved it in my pocket. It's nothin' " Willie was wringing his hands and internally berating himself for forgetting to throw it out, he felt as though he had somehow betrayed the young woman. If something would happen to her it would be his fault… he wouldn't forgive himself.

"Willie…you are lying to me. When will you STOP LYING? I know who this woman is, my cousin sent her here to document the restoration of this house. Why didn't you tell me about her visit Willie… _WHY WILLIE?"_

Words escaped him, he tried to think of something to say to keep himself from punishment, but it was too late, he would be punished either way. He decided to go with the truth. "I don't want you to hurt her. I don't want you to hurt anyone, I didn't want her to ever come back here."

IT looked at the card "Abigail Chilton. A fine name indeed. Documenting the restoration… A splendid idea don't you think?"

Willie looked up at him, his eyes grew wide. "Wh-why would you want to do a thing like that? You don't want her hanging around here? She might find ya! Then what? "

"Willie you worry too much. I think it is a fantastic idea and besides, there are too many rumors floating around about my appearance in town. It would be good to have some positive exposure. I will call on her this evening. "

Willie walked and stood in front of IT. "You don't want to do this, she shouldn't come around here Barnabas. I-I don't want her hanging around during the day, she'll slow me down. "

"Willie you are relieved from your duties this evening. Bring extra firewood to your room and make sure to have matches available." It smirked at him when It spoke.

Willie winced, how he hated Barnabas and everything about his existence, but he did as he was told. He made sure to have the extra firewood and matches and he retired to his room. He took his shoes and socks off, changed into his t-shirt and dragged on a pair of sweatpants. It was going to be cold tonight so he grabbed a flannel shirt and pulled it on over his shirt.

"You need to be punished Willie." Willie swung around to find Barnabas standing in the doorway, his shadow cast onto the floor in his room.

"No... please"

"You should have told me Willie. You LIED. You kept information from me. You should never keep things from me. I will always find out and now you will be punished."

"No…no Barnabas…I just … I didn't want you to hurt the girl. Please understand…"

Barnabas walked towards him and Willie backed away trying to avoid any contact with It. It lunged at him, pinning him to the wall and grabbed his wrist, sinking Its teeth deep into his veins.

"W-what are you doing? No… NO!" Panic rushed through his body as It drained Willie and he began to claw at the wall as he slipped down to the floor, crying out for mercy. The Vampire then picked him up and set him in the chair and pulled Willies arms back behind him fastening them to the back of the chair. Willie struggled to pull his head up and look at IT. "Barnabas…p-please…don't…" Willie could barely keep his head up, he was emptied of his strength and his voice was not much more than a whisper. All he could do was sit there as the Vampire fastened him down. It then walked out of the room and returned with the tape that Willie had been using to paint with.

Willie tried to object, his head heavy and his eyes falling behind his head …"B-barnabas…please…you don't need to do this…I swear…I-won…." The Vampire grabbed Willie's chin and pulled his head up. It wrapped the tape over his mouth, one piece and then two others. Willie sat there, his eyes squeezed shut and his body slumped over. He was muttering something, but it was just coming out as small undecipherable grunts. Willie watched as Barnabas lit the candles in the room and made sure the fire was lit.

"I am going to pay a visit to our dear Ms. Chilton Willie, and if she agrees to come back here I do not want you in the way. Perhaps next time you will be more forthcoming with information." That said IT turned and walked out of the room and locked the door.

Willie was barely holding on to consciousness. The feedings were getting more intense and he was more and more helpless after them. Willie sat there, he couldn't find the energy to struggle if he wanted to, it would be hours before he would have any strength return. _Why…Why?_ Willie didn't understand why It felt the need to do this, and then he remembered his interference in the past when someone was in danger. The girl on the side of the road, the events of that night still ate at his dreams. _My God…what is he going to do to the girl. _

Willie unwillingly lost his grip and slipped into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3 - Voices

**Voices**

Willie's breathing grew rapid and uneven, his eyes snapped open wild with fear and confusion. He stared into the fireplace, his thoughts were cloudy. The flames danced with a low glow around the wood and he looked around as his surroundings came in and out of the fog. Squeezing his eyes tightly shut and then reopening them his room came into focus, his breathing still short and labored. He pulled his hand to brush the sweat from his forehead, but it wouldn't move. He tried the other hand but it would not obey. Each heartbeat sent a pulse of pain through his veins and he began to remember. He turned his head around his shoulder, first his left and then his right trying to pull his arms free but he was not able to move them. He called out in despair but no sounds were heard, just a muted whimper. _No..no no no no no!… _ He struggled there trying to get himself free, and then froze. _Voices…_

"Mr. Collins this home is quite a task you are taking on. I think it is wonderful that you want to fully restore it. But will you be modernizing it at all? Electricity? Plumbing?"

Willies heart sank and the sour feeling rushed through him. The girl was there, in the house with IT. He felt an overwhelming sense of panic pierce into him and he feverishly tried to get himself loose. He pulled his arms up straight and to the side, but they were secured firmly in place. He tried to call out but no sound escaped that would be loud enough to hear. Tears began to pool behind his eyes as he thought of what might happen to her. He could still hear them talking in the hallway.

"Perhaps a little modernization will be good eventually. I want to get the rooms to their original state first. It was such a beautiful house in its day. I would like to see it that way again." Barnabas was staring off into the hallway as he spoke, his eyes turning black and distant.

_Again? _"Why Mr. Collins it sounds as if you lived in this house when it was built the way you talk about it." Abigail looked at Barnabas with curiosity and a chill ran up her spine as her gaze met his. She thought about what her cousin had said about him and she agreed. He was a strange man.

"I have heard many stories of this place growing up and I have grown to love this house through my ancestors." Barnabas replied.

It took her through each of the rooms on the second floor and each room looked much the same. Furniture tossed about them, all covered in cobwebs and grime.

"And this room? What is this room here?" Abigail stood in front of Willies door and placed her hand against the wood.

"This is Willies room." Barnabas' tone was quick and disinterested.

Willie sat, continuing to struggle against his bindings. He could hear them clearly now.

"Willie. Is he here? " She tried to hide her interest in the young man. She hadn't seen him tonight and was hoping to run into him. The only reason she agreed to come over so late was in the hopes that she would get to see him.

"No. Willie is rarely home in the evenings. He usually goes out, I don't know where and I never ask. He is free to come and go as he pleases." Barnabas was quick to respond. The tears escaped Willies eyes as he sat there listening helplessly, continuing to tug on his arms, his hatred for Barnabas swelling in his chest.

"Is he the only one working on the restoration?"

"Yes, he is my only servant."

_Servant!? _Abigail thought to herself how odd to call him a servant. It sounded so demeaning and she could tell by the tone in Barnabas' voice that he did not regard Willie as a friend. Definitely not. "Certainly this is a lot of work for one man, it will take him ages to complete all this."

Barnabas grew tired of this topic. "Come let's go down to the kitchen and out to the back of the house, I will show you the gardens. "

_No…NO! Please … please don't hurt her…PLEASE!_ Willie started to rock the chair back and forth, trying to get free. As he rocked the chair began to teeter and balance on its edge, hanging there for what seemed to be an eternity, Willie choked back a cry, and then the chair dropped to its side, pulling Willie down with it. A stifled moan was let out as he crashed down on the spot where Barnabas had hit him a couple of nights ago. He was no closer to getting free than he was before, actually he was worse off now, lying on the ground, still tethered to the chair, his face too close to the fire place. He scooted himself backwards as far as he could until he backed up against the bed with no place to go. He again pulled and tugged at his arms but it was no use. The tears once again flowed down his cheeks.

"Did you hear that?" Abigail turned swiftly around when she heard what she swore was a bang of some sort coming from Willie's room. She started to walk back towards the room when Barnabas gently placed his long pale hand underneath her elbow and guided her back in the opposite direction.

"This is an old house Ms. Chilton, many noises are heard throughout the evening. Come let's go to the gardens."

Abigail turned and looked over her shoulder at Willie's room as she was guided in the opposite direction. She knew what she heard, something fell in that room. She had been in a hundred places as old as this house and older. She knew the sounds that they made, and this wasn't one of them. It bothered her but she reluctantly allowed Barnabas to escort her downstairs and out to the gardens.

It was cold outside in the gardens and very dark. She looked at Barnabas and he seemed utterly delighted to be walking around them, as if they were in perfect condition in the middle of a warm summer day.

"They are quite run down aren't they" she said with intent. She didn't like the gardens, not at night. Something was not right about this place and the noise she heard earlier was still rattling around in the back of her mind.

"Ms. Chilton, the gardens were a beautiful place, one I hope to have fully restored. And yes you are quite correct, they have been sadly neglected over the years." The Vampire walked up to Abigail and looked into her eyes. He was too close for her liking and as she took a step back as It spoke again. "It is a true crime that something that once was so beautiful is now stark, and desolate and barren of life."

With a quiet voice that was slightly unnerved Abigail responded. "Indeed, I am sure they were lovely once." She glanced down at her watch and realized it was getting late. "I think I shall be going now. It is getting a bit late and I don't want to take up any more of your time this evening." She turned and escorted herself to the back entrance of the house as IT followed behind her. She tightened her jacket and extended her gloved hand out to the Vampire. "It was a true pleasure Mr. Collins. It was very generous of you to share your home with me this evening. Would it be possible for me to stop by tomorrow to take some pictures in the daytime?"

"The pleasure was all mine, and do feel free to drop by tomorrow. Willie will see to it that you have everything you need, I unfortunately will be away on business during the day." Barnabas opened the front door for her and escorted her to her car. She started the engine and backed out of the driveway, deep down relieved to be leaving. The fanciful images she had of this house during the day had disappeared during the night, she couldn't put her finger on it but something did not sit right with her and this house. She was more intrigued than ever.

* * *

Barnabas opened the door to Willies room, at first not seeing him and then finding him lying on the ground, struggling to get himself loose.

"Willie…what are you doing down there?" It smirked at him as It grabbed the chair and lifted it upright, harshly pounding the chair back down on the ground. Willie winced in pain at the impact.

Willie was trembling, his cheeks puffing in and out as he tried to catch his breath. He was shaking his head from side to side, pushing the chair further against the wall as best he could with his bare feet, tugging his arms back and forth.

"Willie, you need to learn to stay quiet! Your fall nearly cost our visitor her life… and yours. She will be returning tomorrow to take pictures during the day. You will make sure she has everything she needs. Do I make myself clear?"

Willie nodded, fear piercing through him for the girl.

It walked up to Willie, reached its long arm down to the base of the chair and gripped it jerking the chair towards IT and away from the wall. It then wrapped Its hand under and around Willies chin forcing him to look up at IT. "She is not to go into the basement Willie. Never in the basement." It then moved Its hand up and into his hair, gripping the blond sweeps falling over his eyes. It pulled up hard and Willie looked up at IT, trying desperately to choke back the tears that were standing at attention ready to fall behind his eyes.

"If you attempt to warn her Willie, or tell her anything about me I will know and I will kill you both. It will be a slow and painful death, and I will kill her first so that you can watch."

With those words Willie could no longer hold back the tears and they began to flow freely down his face. The Vampire then dropped his head, released Willie from the chair and stalked out of the room, slamming the door and locking it behind him.

Willie sat in the chair and reached his hands up to his mouth, pulling the tape from his lips and cheeks and tossed the tape into the fire. He rubbed his wrists, they were red and sore and there would be bruises left there tomorrow to serve as reminders of tonight. He began to stand and winced at his side as he rose. He hoped that the blow that Barnabas had given him for leaving his room the other night hadn't caused more damage than just bruising.

Willie pulled himself up into bed and pulled the thin blanket up to his neck, he sat there with his eyes closed, trembling and trying to think of a way to get her to never come back to the house. Tomorrow he would have to spend time with her and it had been months since he spoke or spent time with anyone, the thought of it made him sick. He needed to find a way to keep her from getting involved with this house. As his mind continued to race exhaustion rolled over him and slowly dragged him into a restless sleep.

* * *

Abigail was driving home and the roads that led out to the Collins estate were dark and the trees folded over the pavement making a tunnel. She didn't understand why but that house had a very different feeling to her after being there at night. She didn't like it, it was almost suffocating. The gardens were especially disturbing to her and she didn't look forward to returning to them to take photos.

She was so disappointed that Willie was not there but she knew she heard something in his room, she couldn't stop her mind from wondering if he had been there all the time and chose to stay away to avoid her. She was completely annoyed that he continued to command her minds attention, this was the first time anyone had such an effect on her and she just barely had ever spoken to him. She turned on the radio in the car, blasting it loudly, hoping it would give her a distraction from her thoughts.

It was late and she didn't realize how long she had actually been there. The drive back into town was about 30 minutes and she was more than ready to get back to her apartment. She pulled in front of the building and parked, quickly hopping out of the car and racing up to her apartment. She threw the key in the lock, opened the door and rushed to turn on every light in the place. _You are being crazy._ She was thinking to herself, but Barnabas had unnerved her. She shared the same feelings as her cousin, she didn't like him either.

She quickly tore off her jeans and climbed into a pair of sweatpants, she jumped into bed and pulled the covers up to her neck and lay there quiet for a moment, closing her eyes wondering if she should just focus on the downtown area and forget about the old house, forget about Mr. Collins, and forget about Willie. She slowly drifted off to a restless sleep with every light on in the small apartment.


	4. Chapter 4 - Introductions

Introductions

The sound of the alarm hit Abigail like a shot gun and made her jolt upright in bed. She rolled her eyes, grabbed the small clock and twisted the alarm off. It was 7:00 and the sun was just starting to shine through her window. She released a small chuckle noticing all of the lights were on, she really let that house get to her last night, but the bright morning sun swept her reservations away.

She pulled a green sweater out of her drawer, grabbed a pair of jeans and headed to the bathroom to get ready. She showered and stared into the mirror looking at her unruly hair, no matter how hard she tried to straighten it like all the fashion magazines it would just snap back into lazy curls that always looked messy around her face. _You win again…_ she smirked at herself giving up on her hair and walked into the kitchen. Her stomach was flopping on itself and she was terribly annoyed at her school girl excitement to spend time with a man she didn't know. _Jeeze Abby, he could be a complete nut job, get over yourself. _She packed up her camera and notebook and headed out the door.

She decided not to go to the house empty handed. She made a brief stop at the diner and grabbed two black coffees to go. The doughnuts smelled wonderful and she picked up several of them as well and headed back to her car. Within the hour she would be back at the old house, she was relieved that Barnabas wouldn't be there, and she hoped things would go better than before.

* * *

Willie awoke as the key entered the door and unlocked it. His arms were covering his head, his throat was raw and he was tangled in the bedding, a sure sign that his sleep was interrupted with horrible dreams. The fire was slowly dying and it was getting cold in the room. He swung his feet around the bed and grabbed some clean clothes out of the drawer. Even what he wore was controlled by It. He remembered arriving at the old house and his dresser and closet had not only his own clothes, but new ones. Everything around him was a constant reminder that he could never escape Its imprisonment.

He grabbed everything, including soap and shampoo, and walked to the back staircase that led to the kitchen. He paused for a moment on the landing looking up at the staircase that led to the attic, he felt uneasy and he still had not explored that part of the house; today would not be an exception.

He placed his things on the table and started a fire in the kitchen fireplace. He turned and grabbed a large pot and placed it beneath the water pump that was in the kitchen. He filled the pot and placed it on top of the fire, he was too cold to use the water straight from the pump, he wanted some warmth to clean off with.

Living this way was a challenge for Willie, no plumbing…no electricity…and no freedom. Even the simplest task of washing up was ten times as hard.

The water was nice and warm, he pulled it off the fire and set it on a slab of wood that was sitting on the table. He stripped off his shirt, grabbed a towel and dipped it in the warm water. The warmth felt good against his skin. Willie cleaned up moving gently over his side where the black and blue marks were, deepening in color. The pain in his side still sharp, he was worried that it wasn't getting better. As he pulled on his sweater he looked down at his wrists, they were red and raw in spots where his skin twisted against the ropes the night before. He finally pulled at the sleeves and pulled them down over his wrists as he grimaced. Suddenly a twinge of panic rushed through him. He remembered that the girl was going to be there soon. _Shit…_ He pulled himself together and looked into the mirror that was hanging in the hallway. Willie rolled his eyes, he looked like a train wreck of a soul. His skin was so pale and he had deep circles under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept in months, which wasn't far from the truth.

He entered the great room and pulled the drapes open letting in the bright sunlight, his eyes squinted as the sunlight hit them. He had a brief moment of triumph thinking this was one thing that he could enjoy and Barnabas couldn't. It was a small bit of satisfaction in his devastating life.

Willie went about his morning routine. He pulled the wood in for the day, made sure there were fires burning in both the kitchen and the great room. He replaced any of the candles that had been burned down and made sure to stock his room with firewood and extra matches.

He returned to the great room and started to think about how to get rid of the girl. He thought he would just be mean. Terribly mean. Treat her horribly so that she would wind up hating him and not want to deal with him. He had been that man once, he could do it again.

He climbed back up the ladder and started to patch the mortar when his heart sank into his feet and he heard a knock on the door.

He climbed down and hesitated before he opened the door. He was ready, and he opened the door, and every bit of intent to treat her horribly melted away. He looked into her brownish green eyes, her hair flipped around her face, and he just couldn't do it. He couldn't be mean to her, no matter how much he wanted to be. He just looked at her until his subconscious kicked him and he spoke.

"Ms. Chilton. P-please… come in"

* * *

Abigail pulled into the driveway of the old house and started walking up to the door, confused by the nerves she felt. _Get a stinkin' grip Abby. Ughh.._ She was so irritated with herself. She was always in control of situations, but this man…no this complete stranger… was totally and completely under her skin. Why on earth did she have to peer into the window, or observe him on the street. Why when he looked into her eyes did she shy away from them? She decided she would go up to the door and take charge.

She knocked on the door several times and finally it opened and he was standing there looking nervously at her, running his hand through his hair.

After a long pause he spoke and for the second time he made eye contact with her and her stomach flopped again when she looked at the blue of his eyes.

"Ms. Chilton. P-please…come in."

She was so determined to take control, but as soon as she saw him she backed down and became uncomfortable. She walked into the great room and Willie closed the doors.

"And you must be Mr. Loomis" She turned to look at him again and extended her hand. He looked at her hand and hesitated but finally and very briefly he shook it. Human contact, even the simplest handshake made him uncomfortable. The only contact he had known since he moved into the old house with the Vampire was cruel and sinister. She noticed the hesitation too and wondered why.

"Y-yes… yeah. Please, call me Willie" Willie was nervous. He had no idea what to say next.

"It is nice to meet you Willie. I brought some coffee and doughnuts. I think perhaps we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I'm not sure what kind you like so I picked up several different kinds." She handed the coffee to Willie and placed the doughnuts out on small table. She couldn't help but smile at how nervous he was. She hoped that she wasn't quite as obvious.

"Y-yeah… I am sorry about yesterday. The coffee is very nice…thank you. " Willie gave her a half-hearted smile, but was fighting against the aroma of the doughnuts. They smelled fresh and sweet and it made him sick.

"You can setup anywhere ya like Ms. Chilton. If there is anything that ya need just let me know." Willie took a sip of the coffee and it was hot and delicious. It seemed he could never really warm up in this house, but the coffee helped.

"Willie, would you give me a tour of the house? I was here yesterday but without electricity I am afraid the candlelight did not provide me with a very good view." Abigail was sincere. Last night was a waste of time. But then again she didn't come last night to see the house, she came to see him. Today she would focus on the house and the fact that she had a job to do.

"Uh..yeah… yes of course. " Willie took her through the house, saying very little as they walked through. He seemed rather uninterested in it, which Abigail found odd. Why would he take a job restoring an old house that he has absolutely no interest in at all? As a matter of fact, if someone were to ask her, she would tell them that Willie disliked the house based on the tour that she received.

"And this room? Barnabas indicated that this is you room?" They paused as they stood in front of it.

"Yes, this is my room." Willie responded with a low quiet voice. Almost as if he regretted saying it at all.

"May I look in?" As soon as she asked she wished she didn't. The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had a second to think and she wanted to take them back. She always had a problem with blurting out her thoughts, she shook her head, disappointed in herself.

"What? Um…Ya wanna look in my room?... s-sure." He opened the door and a small burst of warm air exited. Abigail dare not enter all the way, she was already mortified that she even asked to see it. But she did look in and found the room to be actually quite cozy. The fireplace had dying glowing embers in it, a plaid blanket lay over the bed. There was a small chair in front of the fireplace and a quaint chest against the wall with a clear pitcher and bowl on top of it, and several candle holders next to it. There was a small window above the bed and she thought that it must get terribly dark in the room at night.

She didn't linger long, "Did you restore this room first?" she asked as she turned and walked away from the room and back down the long hall.

"Yes, this was the first room to be worked on." Willie shut the door behind him.

Abigail turned back and looked at Willie ... "And Mr. Collins? Where is his room?" It was a simple enough question, with the most complicated answer.

"Barnabas ya mean?" The sour knot suddenly made an appearance and Willie was taken by complete surprise. He scrambled to find an answer and started to rub his hands together tightly. "His room is downstairs, he is a very private person, so his room is off limits. Anythin else you are welcome to photo, document or whatever."

Willie wanted to quickly change the subject, "We can go back downstairs this way Ms. Chilton, this staircase will lead us back into the kitchen." Willie walked quickly hoping to get back to his work and hoping she would take what she needed and just go. He was tense and he could still feel the after effects of the feeding from the night before. Many times the Vampire would feed on him, but leave him conscious, those feedings were just as painful, however the blood loss was not as severe and he found there were little after effects. But other nights, like last night, the blood loss was extreme, taking him to the point of unconsciousness, the after effects of which he would feel for days. Nausea, fainting and pure exhaustion.

"What is up there?" Abigail looked and pointed at the stairs that led up to the attic.

"The attic. It isn't safe to walk up there. That is off limits as well." Willie had no idea what was up there and he had no intention to find out. As far as he was concerned the attic didn't exist. Deep in his belly he was afraid of the attic, although he was afraid of most things since he met IT.

"Oh, well we don't want to put ourselves in danger." She smiled at him and he didn't return the smile. _You already have put yourself in danger, _Willie thought to himself.

They descended down the stairs and entered the kitchen and then proceeded back into the great room.

"Is there anythin' else I can get ya Ms. Chilton before I return to my work?" Willie was a mess, he knew it too. He was so nervous and consumed with fear that she would ask him something he couldn't answer. He just wanted her to take the pictures and leave before it was too late, for her and for him.

* * *

Willie was standing at the top of the ladder when the walls began to swoon in and out. He glanced down at the floor and the carpet was spinning in a circle. _No..NO! not now… please not now! Oh God! _The room began to move around him, and she was there and he was horrified. He tried to climb down from the ladder and could hear her call out to him as the floor rushed up to meet him, and then darkness.

* * *

Abigail stood in the great room taking close up photos of the detail in the wood carvings. She backed up and in her lens she focused on his face, he had no idea she was shooting him and she blushed once again observing him when he wasn't aware. His eyes were so blue and if the sun hit them just right they sparkled, her stomach flopped again. She snapped a few shots and then through the view finder noticed his face go pale and his eyes grew wide and dark and started to roll behind his lids.

"Willie…WILLIE!" She set her camera on the ground and ran over as Willie fell from the ladder and lay out cold on the floor. "Oh my God, Willie are you okay?" She dropped to her knees next to him, unsure of what to do. She gently reached for his arm and pulled his sleeve up to feel his pulse. As she did a stifled cry escaped her when she saw his wrist. _Oh my God…_It was red and bruised all the way around, she delicately lifted it and saw there were places where it looked like the skin had been nearly rubbed off. She placed her fingers over it and his pulse was racing. She ran to the kitchen to grab some water and for the first time noticed that there was only a pump over the sink, she grabbed a towel from the counter and soaked the towel, the water smelled stale.

She returned and tenderly wiped his forehead and face when he began to shout, still lying unconscious. She jumped back in shock.

"No NO … Please Don't … PLEASE! Not again! —Make it stop! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! Don't… don't let him in… please don't let him in!" Willie was yelling, still lying on the floor and tears were running from his closed eyes. Abigail looked at him, her eyes wide and scared, her heart sunk to the floor as she watched him. She had no idea what to do.

She crouched on the ground near his head. "Willie… Willie … Wake up… You are having a bad dream Willie… Please wake up…" Her voice was gentle and she rubbed his shoulder as she tried to softly wipe the tears from his cheeks with the wet cloth.

Willie was awoken by the sound of his own voice and let out a yell as he felt her touch him. He pushed himself away from her, his eyes were wild as he searched around the room. He grabbed at his chest almost as if he were checking to see if he was still alive. Abigail sat on the floor looking at him and finally his eyes met hers and his surroundings came screeching back to him. _Oh no…no. _Willie looked at her and could see the fear in her eyes.

"Ms. Chilton…I-I'm sorry … I-I'm ok… I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to scare ya." _Oh my God…why now…_ Willie tried to stand up but was still a bit light headed and the pain in his side would not give him relief. He winced as he tried to rise and grabbed his side and his legs crumbled beneath him and he hit the floor.

"Willie are you okay? You fell from the ladder, you must have fainted…wait…stay there…let me help you" She stood up and walked over to him, she tried to prop herself under his arm but he pulled away at the touch. He dragged himself to the chair and sat down on it.

"Yeah, I guess so, musta fainted. Again I apologize, I- I'm real sorry." Willie was sitting, staring down at his hands completely embarrassed and afraid. His head was pounding harder than before.

"No need to apologize Willie" She sat down in front of the chair on the floor "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah-Yes. I'm okay really." As he was staring down at his hands his heart jumped into his throat when he noticed that his sleeve was pulled up to his elbow, exposing his wrist and its bruises. He quickly pulled the sleeve down to cover it and when he glanced up at her she was looking directly at him with concern in her eyes. He knew she saw it.

Abigail scooted closer to him and put her hand on his wrist. He instantly pulled it away at the touch. She looked up at him with concern or maybe pity he couldn't tell, but the look nearly killed him. They paused for only a second, looking into each others eyes, but it felt like minutes went by.

Abigail continued to sit on the floor in front of him, she placed her hands in her and lap finally broke the silence.

"Mr. Loomis, I may be overstepping my bounds, but you are certainly not okay. Please… may I ask what happened?"

Willie froze. No words came. He was petrified.


	5. Chapter 5 - Unwanted Guest

_**A/N: Just a warning that this chapter has a bit more aggressive profanity. Hope you enjoy!**_

_Unwanted Guest_

Willie took a moment while his mind stumbled for an answer. He found remote relief in the fact that the wrist she saw was not the one that Barnabas had gotten to know so intimately.

Willie ran his hands through his hair and behind his neck. "No—I-it's nothin'. Stupid accident, got my hand caught trying to fix the pump in the kitchen. Reached my hand down the hole and got it stuck, that's all. Had to twist it to get it out."

He needed her to just let this go. He stood up and got his feet steady beneath him. She was still sitting on the floor looking up at him. He could tell she wasn't fully buying his story and she was genuinely concerned, he could see it in her face, it felt uncomfortable. It had been such a long time since anyone had showed any kind of real concern for him, and now…now it was too late for him. Too late for someone's concern or care. There was nothing anyone could do for him, nothing she could do for him, except leave and never come back so that he would be spared the loss of yet another person he allowed to get too close. He was doomed and he knew it, but she could still escape.

He didn't want to make physical contact with her, but he brushed the feelings aside and extended his hand down to the floor for her to take. "Ms. Chilton please, I'm okay, come up off the floor."

She took his hand and her stomach flopped again. He reached down and gently guided her up placing one hand under her elbow as he held the other. His heart was racing out of his chest and once she was up he let go quickly and folded his arms into his chest.

Abigail stood up and looked into his eyes and smiled at him. He looked so tired and she tried not to think about that first day she saw him in the chair. She desperately wanted to know what was behind his eyes causing such anguish.

"Why don't we get some lunch, you need to eat something…I can't have you fainting all over the place this afternoon." She winked at him and tried to lighten the mood. Willie looked down turning slightly red.

"No… I guess we can't… I-I don't have much for food in the house Ms. Chilton."

"Please Willie, Abby… my name is Abby. Only stuffy men in weird black suits with creepy wolfs head canes call me Ms. Chilton" She giggled as she said it, but Willie grew serious and looked straight into her eyes.

"You shouldn't say things like that Ms. Chilton… He might hear ya." Willie turned and walked into the kitchen.

Abigail felt a bit embarrassed, like she had just been scolded on the playground. What was his problem anyway? She followed behind him "You know Willie you really need to lighten up. He's not even here. Are you this serious all the time?"

He turned and looked at her, she could tell he was frustrated, or maybe irritated with her, it was difficult to read his expression.

"Look I really don't have much, why don't ya just go out and get somethin', I can stay here and keep workin' then. I'm not very hungry anyway."

Abigail passed him and started to rummage through the kitchen as if she didn't hear him. She opened one cupboard after another. All empty. _What the hell do they eat around here?_ Her internal filter worked for a change.

Willie stood at the end of the counter, "This is the only one I use, down here. I told you I don't have much, you should just go out okay?" Suddenly he just wanted her out of the house. It was dangerous to have her there, for both him and her.

She walked to the end and looked in to find a dozen or so cans of soup and a small loaf of bread and an unopened package of cookies and several packets of tea. Her unfiltered brain wanted to turn and ask him what the hell was wrong with him, how could he have so little food? No wonder he fainted. But looking at him, he looked so fragile standing there, his hand once again assuming its familiar place woven in his hair, she didn't want to make him feel worse.

"This will do just fine." She gave him a half smile and sat the can down on the counter. Willie put some water on the stove to boil. Even a stupid can of soup was an ordeal to cook.

* * *

They finished their lunch, mostly in silence, except for the few bits of small talk that they exchanged. She learned very little about him, no living family that he knew of, only child, no plans after finishing the old house, dropped out of school at a young age, he gave up very little. No real details, just basic facts as if he were talking about a grocery list and not his life.

She shared with him her story and he listened, he seemed to listen intently, not just pretending to be interested like most of the men she had been with. He actually seemed to care. It was refreshing.

"Ms. Chilton I apologize but I must finish up my work now. I have a bunch of stuff to finish before Barnabas returns."

"Of course." They picked up their dishes, and Willie cleaned them and put them away. She sat in front of the fire place trying to warm up a bit. "It is awfully cold in here Willie, don't you simply freeze at night?" Willie turned and looked at her, wiping his hands on the towel.

"Yeah… it gets very cold."

* * *

Willie was back working in the great room and was very quiet for the rest of the afternoon, but his thoughts could not be quieted. He failed miserably at trying to get her to hate him and getting her to leave. _Ya just had ta faint and fall off the God damned ladder didn't ya. And then the screamin' I can't even imagine what you were screamin' shit Loomis... you were probably cryin' _The sour feeling rose in this stomach just thinking about it. He was hopelessly embarrassed and his face flushed red.

Willie knew she was concerned about him too. That was dangerous. She went about her business finishing the photos and notes of the first floor, but she continued to check on him. She thought he didn't notice, but he did. Each time she would come in and make certain that he was steady.

Willie finished patching up the last of the mortar. The afternoon went by quickly and he didn't want to admit it but having her there seemed to make things just a little less horrible.

"Well all finished." Abigail grabbed her camera and stuck it and her notebook in her bag. Willie came down from the ladder and met her by the door, he looked at his watch and was glad she was going. The Vampire would rise soon and he wanted her out of the house.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok Willie? I don't mind waiting until Barnabas returns." She didn't want to leave him, she was worried that he would faint again, and what if he really hurt himself? She wouldn't forgive herself for leaving him alone.

"I'm ok. Please, you need to go now. Drive careful Ms. Chilton. Again, I'm real sorry about puttin' a scare in ya this morning. And thanks again for the coffee" Willie stood at the door and helped her put on her coat.

"Okay. I will see you tomorrow then…"

"Tomorrow?" Willie looked up at her surprised. "I-I thought you had what ya needed?" She couldn't come back tomorrow… not ever! This day could not be repeated… even in the short time today that they shared she was getting too close to him.

"Willie I have to document the entire house! I will be back tomorrow and then again on Friday, probably several times in the coming weeks. I'll be documenting the progress as well, your gonna get down right sick of me." She winked at him, wrapped her scarf around her neck and opened the front door. "See you tomorrow. And do me a favor…please stay off of ladders for the rest of the night." She grinned at herself and set out down the driveway.

Willie watched as she went, he wanted to yell down the driveway and tell her to never come back, not ever, but he couldn't. He watched her in silence get into her car and pull from the driveway and then he shut and locked the front door.

* * *

Willie was emptying the ashes from the kitchen fireplace and was thinking that tomorrow he would need to spend most of the morning chopping more firewood. He didn't look forward to the task and hoped that the weather would cooperate. He ran through the endless list of things he had to do tomorrow and unwanted thoughts of her forced their way into his mind.

"Good evening Willie"

Willie froze for a moment and then nodded his head and continued to empty the fireplace.

"Did Ms. Chilton pay us a visit today?"

"Yeah - Yes Barnabas."

"And did she find things satisfactory"

"I think so. Yes." Willie was tired, it has been a longer day than usual and he needed to just have some time to think. Even the thought of being locked in his room was a welcome one if it meant he could just be alone.

"I think I shall pay her a visit this evening to make sure she was pleased."

Willie stood up and turned around; his white t-shirt was covered with ash, which was also smudged on his face and in his hair. "Why? She was pleased. She plans to return tomorrow and later this week. You don't need to go there. What do you need to go there for?" Willie's voice sounded panicked.

"Willie what I do is of no concern of yours." Barnabas grabbed his coat and cane and began to walk out the back door when Willie jumped in front of him and put his hand up on Its chest forcefully attempting to push him back away from the door.

"No… please just leave her be Barnabas. Let her take the pictures and whatever she needs and just go. Please Barnabas. Please just leave her alone."

The vampire grabbed Willies hand and ripped it from his chest, an ashen handprint left behind on the coarse black material. _Shit…_

It looked down, still holding on to Willies hand, and Its eyes filled with black when It looked up at Willie. It then twisted Willies arm back behind him almost forcing him to the ground.

"Barnabas p-please…"

"Willie, you are NEVER to place your hands on me. EVER! Do you understand?"

"Y-Yeah…Yes… YES! Please let go"

It continued to hold on and pushed Willie into the small room between the kitchen and the back door. It then opened the door to the small closet.

"Barnabas no… no! Wait! W-What are you doing? Barnabas… please" Willie wasn't sure what was happening. It then pushed him into the small closet and shut the door and locked it.

Willie tried to bang on the door with both fists, but the closet was far too narrow. His back was up against the back wall and there was only about 3 inches of space between himself and the door. It was a closet meant for brooms and now Willie understood why It had him replace the door with one that was fitted with a locking handle.

"Barnabas! BARNABAS!" Willie placed his hands flat on the closet door, his elbows bent and close to his sides.

"Willie I will see you when I return, try not to go anywhere." It laughed at itself and then turned and left.

Willie stood in the closet and it was suffocating. He could feel his own breath bounce against the door and back into his face. It was not wide enough for him to sit and he was forced to stand upright. It was completely black and he was scared, so scared. His breathing started to get short and shallow, he was losing control and the confinement in this tiny space was dreadful.

"Please! Leave her alone! Leave her alone Barnabas! PLEASE! … SHIT! LET ME OUT!" Willie was screaming, each movement was restricted. He was trapped. "No…NO! Barnabas let me the fuck out! Leave her the fuck alone!"

Willie's screaming eventually quieted. He didn't know how long he would be in there, but every moment was torture. It was so dark and so cold, and he was only in his t-shirt. He wasn't sure if he was trembling from the cold or the fear, but it didn't matter. He needed to get out. Thoughts of being left there and forgotten ran through his mind. Thoughts of the Vampire being allowed to enter her house made him sick, he prayed she wouldn't be home. _Abigail…my God…please don't let him in… don't invite him in!_

* * *

Abigail had the pictures developed right away and returned home. She was sitting at the kitchen table flipping through the pictures and then her stomach flopped when she got to the close ups that she had taken of Willie. Despite how exhausted he looked he really was a handsome man she thought. She flipped to the next photo and then the next. Yes, as much as she didn't want to admit it, she liked him, and she was attracted to him and she was annoyed by her feelings. She flipped to the last photo that she took of him and in this one he looked terrified, his eyes were wide and dark with fear, just before he passed out. She then started to think of him lying on the floor, screaming, tears falling from his eyes. She dragged her sleeve over her eyes as a few tears escaped. His screams echoed in her head. _Please make it stop…don't let him in! _

A knock on the door made her nearly jump out of her skin. She looked at her watch, 7:34pm. She walked to the door and looked through the peep hole shocked to see Barnabas Collins at her door. _What the hell does he want? _

"Just a minute!" She stepped away from the door; Willie's words jumped back into her head _don't let him in…please don't let him in! _

She released the door chain and opened the door.

"Mr. Collins! This is a surprise."

"Ms. Chilton, good evening. Sorry for stopping by unexpectedly, may I come in?"

_…don't let him in…please don't let him in…_ Willie's screams rattled in her head.

"Actually Mr. Collins I was just heading down to the diner to grab some dinner." That was a lie. She grabbed her coat and purse that were hanging next to the door, fished her keys out of her purse and joined Barnabas in the hallway. "Would you care to join me?" She wasn't hungry, but Willies words stuck and she was a bit superstitious, she did not want Barnabas in her apartment. He made her uncomfortable.

Barnabas flashed a look of anger as he watched her shut and lock her door. He then pulled himself back and pasted a smile on his face.

"I would be delighted"

They walked to the diner, which was just around the corner and sat down at a quiet booth. The conversation was dull she thought. Barnabas rambled on about the old house and stories about its past, but she wasn't interested in it right now. Her thoughts were with someone else. She hoped he was okay.

"Is Willie feeling better?" she blurted out right in the middle of his story telling. She could tell he was annoyed and he looked up at her slightly disgusted at the mention of Willie's name.

"Willie? Yes he is fine Ms. Chilton. Why do you ask?" Barnabas was watching her face closely trying to figure out why she had an interest in the young man.

"He fainted today, fell from the ladder. He seems to be very hurt. His wrist is completely bruised and he was clutching at his side most of the day." She leaned back from the table and tried to be very confident keeping her eyes emotionless. She wanted to know how he was but didn't want to give away her feelings.

"Well Ms. Chilton Willie is a very accident prone young man. But I assure you he was perfectly fine when I saw him this evening. He even mentioned that he would be going out. You shouldn't give it another thought."

She sat back and took a sip of her coffee, "Maybe so." she responded. "I will be returning tomorrow to take more photos. I would like to get some of the upstairs and some of the grounds."

"My home is at your disposal. I will be out on business during the day as usual, but of course Willie will be there to accommodate your needs."

They both finished their coffee, she took most of the food she had ordered home and they parted ways in front of the coffee shop. Her dislike for him did not diminish and her concern for Willie consumed her.

* * *

Willie's legs were trembling and growing numb below him as he stood there in the darkness. His entire body was shaking in the cold. He didn't know how long he had been in there and his body started to slide down, folding in on itself in the tiny space. His knees were tight against the door and he could no longer stand and hold himself up. All he could do was think about how terrified he was. _Please I just want to get out…_ He thought about Abigail and prayed that Barnabas left her alone, or if he did go to her she wouldn't be home.

* * *

_Scrreeeaaaaacchhhhhh_

A scraping sound ran from the outside of the door, running from the top to the bottom and shot pure terror into Willies veins. The scraping penetrating the darkness.

And then another…and another.

* * *

Barnabas came into the house and pulled out Its long finger and ran Its nail up and down the front of the closet door. "Are you still in there Willie?" It whispered through the door.

Willie placed his hand flat on the door, the sound of Its nail scratching the door pierced through his body like nails on a chalkboard. He pulled his hands up over his ears. _No…oh no…no….no…_

It slowly opened the door to the closet and Willie spilled out and onto the floor at Its feet. His cheeks were stained with tears that left trails through the ash that was on his face.

Willie tried to raise his head and prop himself up. He was softly crying and in a voice that was interrupted by low sobs he tried to speak.

"Barnabas… I-I can't do this…I can't…can't live like this. P-Please why don't you just let me die... I-I don't understand."

The Vampire bent down over Willie and walked Its long fingers through Willie's hair, Willie feebly tried to back away.

"Are you afraid of me Willie?" It stood over him, the whites of Its eyes turned black and sinister before him.

"Y-Yes" Willie eyes were wide and quietly sobbing.

"Are you scared right now Willie?"

"Y-Yes…I-I'm scared all the time… I- I don't want to be scared anymore Barnabas. P-Please"

"You know that there is no escape from me Willie…ever."

Willie dropped his head down and sunk into the floor. "I know." Willie's heart was splitting in two. He was drowning in despair.

IT reached down and picked Willie up off the floor and propped him up supporting him with ITs shoulder. Willie had no strength left and the room started to spin again.

"I-I'm gonna be sick…" It carried Willie up the back stairs and dropped him in his room on the bed. On impact the sour knot rushed from his belly and doubled him over the side of the bed, his lunch emptying from him into the small garbage can on the floor.

Barnabas looked around the room and grabbed kindling and wood for the fireplace and lit the fire while Willie continued to spasm, hanging his head over the bed. It then lit the candles in the room and left, once again locking the door behind him.

Willie's body continued to force him to wretch until he finally passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

Abigail lay in bed trying to force herself to fall asleep. _How did he know where I lived?_ She didn't tell him where she lived, and her card had the office address on it. She didn't want him in her house. Her thoughts jumped all over the place. They returned to Willie, his screaming, the tears running down his face. Lunch, and the sparse cupboards _Why no food in the house? _The water pump _It must be miserable to live there_. Her thoughts were like a pin ball. She wasn't going to be able to sleep. She looked at the clock, 10:13pm. She hopped out of bed, dragged a pair of jeans on and threw a sweater on over her t-shirt. She tossed a baseball cap on her head and grabbed her coat and keys. She couldn't sit her, she needed some fresh air and Barnabas had said that Willie was going out. There were very few places to go in this town… she was going to go out in hopes of finding him.


	6. Chapter 6 - Embrace

**Embrace**

Abigail drove past the diner not sure if she would find him there. She drove slowly, looked in the windows and only saw few high school kids making out in the booths. Her next stop would be a small coffee shop that stayed open late for anyone who wanted to come listen to music and read poetry. She laughed at the thought of finding him but drove by anyway. Just as she figured his truck wasn't there.

She drove to the only other place in town that was still open and headed to the Blue Whale. A dumpy little bar near the docks. She had been there several times since her arrival in Collinsport. It wasn't a bad place if you were just looking for a beer and a place to hang out. She didn't see his truck there either, but decided since she was here she may as well stop in and have a drink.

"Abigail! What are you doin' out so late?" She was delighted to see her cousin Alex sitting at the bar.

"Alex! Who are you here with?"

They embraced quickly and she sat down next to him. "I'm just here after my shift. Thought I would stop in for one before I head home. What about you? You alone?"

"Yeah, had a bit of a long day over at the Collins estate. Felt restless and wanted to just unwind" She knew how he felt about Willie, she didn't want him to know that she was in fact on the hunt for him like some kind of obsessed school girl.

Alex laughed, "I bet! So how was it over at the freak house? You didn't have to hang out with that creep did ya?"

Abigail's face became serious. "Yeah he was there, he wasn't creepy at all. He was quiet and nice. Not at all what I thought he would be. I - I think he's sick."

"Sick…yeah…I bet."

"No really! He fainted! Fell right off a ladder. He was hurt too."

"Just keep your distance Abby, I'm tellin' ya there is a reason he never goes around anyone. He used to come in here every night and now he hasn't been in here in months. Somthin' not right with him."

She wondered where else he would go, maybe the next town. God knows he wasn't welcome around here. Or maybe he had a girl, she didn't like that thought.

* * *

The door to the bar slammed open and a young girl came crashing through it. Her blonde hair looked like it was in knots and her clothes were torn and she was barefoot. She stumbled down the stairs at the entrance and her eyes looked wide and full of terror. Blood smeared across her cheeks.

"Please…help me!" She screamed and then collapsed to the floor. Abigail noticed there was blood running from her neck or maybe her ear…it was hard to tell. Abigail jumped up but Alex put his hand in front of her. "Stay…" Alex said, firmly holding her back.

Several people rushed over to her. "Ambulance! Call an Ambulance!"

There was chaos and when the ambulance came the distraught girl was placed inside, she continued to scream as the doors were closed.

"Hey are you okay?" Alex looked at Abigail and handed her what was left of her beer.

"God I wonder what happened. Poor girl! Do you know who she was?"

"I've seen her around, I think her dad runs the grocery store. Pretty little thing." He paused for a moment. "She's not the first one, there have been several girls attacked over the last few weeks." He looked at his cousin with concern. "You know you shouldn't be out alone so late yourself."

"I'm fine Alex, Collinsport is small potatoes compared to Chicago." She smiled and almost believed what she just said.

"Come on, why don't I take ya home." Alex finished his last swallow of beer, grabbed Abigail's coat and helped her put it on.

"It's fine Alex, I drove here and need my car in the morning. Don't worry."

"No, I'll follow ya then, make sure you get in okay. I won't take no for an answer Abby."

She didn't argue, truth was she was pretty shaken up and really didn't want to be alone.

Alex walked her to the door and offered to spend the night if she was too unsettled. For once she swallowed her stupid pride. It was a little after midnight and she was still unnerved. Between Willie and his screams, Barnabas showing up at her door and the girl, it was too much. She pulled out some blankets and a pillow for the couch. She climbed into her bed and struggled to fall asleep.

* * *

The morning came and Willie began his regular ritual. He shook off the events of the night before, it didn't do any good to dwell on it. He grabbed his things and went down the stairs unable to keep his thoughts away from Abigail. He prayed that she wasn't home last night and that she didn't let him into her house.

Willie remembered one of Barnabas' long evening rants about thresholds and free-will. Something about the threshold being the line between himself and all others. The Vampire talked about how free-will was a gift to mankind from God and then went on about a bunch of stuff that Willie didn't understand. But Willie did understand one thing; if It was invited into your home It could command some part of you and could get into your mind. Willie hoped that she didn't let him in.

* * *

Abigail woke up and walked into the small living room and kitchen area. The blankets and pillows were nicely folded on the couch and a note sat atop them.

_Abbs,_

_Had to take off early, didn't want to wake ya. _

_Don't forget dinner at our place on Saturday._

_Later,_

_Alex_

_P.S. Steer clear of Loomis…I mean it._

She read the note and was irritated by the P.S. She knew he was just watching out for her, but she didn't like people telling her who she should and shouldn't be around. It was one of the reasons she left Chicago in the first place.

She got dressed and began to make her way to the old house. She again stopped in for coffee, but decided against the doughnuts. She noticed he didn't go near them yesterday. She was tired, and visions of the girl kept her mind busy.

* * *

Willie was repairing the desk in the front room when she knocked on the door. He stood up and opened it. "Good morning Ms. Chilton. Come on in." He wanted to ask her immediately about Barnabas, but waited.

"Good morning Willie…brought you some coffee." She smiled at him, but she seemed a bit distant.

"Thanks, you didn't hafta do that, but I appreciate it." He took the coffee from her and set it on top of the small table. He looked closely at her trying to see if there were any signs of IT, but he couldn't see anything.

She was quiet. _Oh please God don't let It have gotten to her._ She opened her bag and pulled out her camera and notebook. "I'll start upstairs if that's ok with you."

"Y-yeah sure…" Willie watched her and she started up the stairs. As she started to climb he walked quickly over and grabbed onto the banister.

"Ms. Chilton…Y-You ok?"

She looked back down on him, and there again were those blue eyes that made her stomach flop, they were sparkling up at her and filled with concern. "You wanna just sit and finish our coffee before we start?" Willie needed to know that she was okay. That It hadn't gotten to her.

She paused and then came back down. "That might be nice."

They walked into the great room, both the chairs were getting stripped and upholstered so they sat on the floor across from one another.

"I was at the Blue Whale last night…and a girl…God you should have seen her Willie. She stumbled in, screaming. As if she saw a ghost, blood covered her face and all down her neck. And the screaming…"

_My God…IT did it again. _The sour knot made an unwelcome return. He knew it was Barnabas, and could do nothing about it. That's why he was locked in his room, so he wouldn't interfere.

"That must have been terrifying. Poor girl. Be careful Ms. Chilton, make sure to keep yourself safe." _Thank God she wasn't home…_

"and your Mr. Collins paid me a visit last night too." she added.

_No..NO! _

"He did?" _Shit._ "W-what did he want?" Willie pulled his hand through his hair.

"I'm not entirely sure, he asked to come in, and I didn't let him. We went to the diner instead. You know why I didn't let him in Willie?" He stopped in his tracks.

"Uh No"

"You were screaming yesterday Willie, screaming while you were passed out." Willies eyes widened as he looked at her. "Do you know what you were screaming?"

"N-no I don't, I-I have no idea"

"You screamed not to let him in…'Don't let him in!' you were yelling. It was all I could think about and when he knocked on the door, the words just echoed in my head. So… I didn't let him in. Isn't that silly?"

_Good that you didn't let the bastard in your house. _

He didn't quite know how to respond. He wanted to just warn her but he remembered Barnabas' words. If he warned her It would kill them both. He chose the best response he could. Silence.

* * *

The day went on without any issues, as did the next several days. Willie went about his duties and finished the desk as well as the bookshelf in the great room. Abigail continued with her documentation. They shared conversation and cans of soup at lunch, it was almost normal. Even the evenings for Willie had become calm. Barnabas seemed to show no interest in Abigail for the moment, the Thing was obsessed with a portrait hanging in the upstairs bedroom and seemed to spend every waking moment in that room talking to it. Willie kept his mouth shut and did as he was told. He didn't speak of Abigail during the evening hours. He was just hoping she would finish her work so that she could get out of this house for good, even though he would miss her company.

When he was allowed to return to his room at night the sour knot would return full of worry as the door would lock. He feared for the Vampires next victim and felt helpless to protect Abigail. He found little comfort in thinking about the time he spent with her during the day. He was letting her get too close to him. It was a relationship that could never last, one he could not protect, not even a simple friendship was safe. Eventually it would come to an end, one way or another.

* * *

It was nearly 6:00pm and Willie was trying to get Abigail to leave.

"Ms. Chilton, you have to go." Willie was panicked. "Please, it's almost dark outside and I don't want ya goin' out alone in the dark with all that has been going on. Come on, I'll walk ya to your car."

"Geeze Willie, okay!"

Willie helped her get her coat on and walked her to the car. She turned the key in the ignition and nothing. She tried again, no luck, and again.

"Hold on… let me take a look." He popped the hood open and pulled the flashlight out of his pocket, something he always carried with him these days. "Battery looks corroded."

"What seems to be the problem?" The Vampire stood beside Willie, seeming to have come out of nowhere. He jumped and fell back against the car hood.

"Christ Barnabas." The words escaped his mouth before he could think.

Abigail climbed out of the car, smiling at Willie's jumpiness, and shook Its hand. "Good evening Mr. Collins"

"Ms. Chilton, a pleasure. Seems you are having some trouble with your car."

Willie jumped in between the two and responded. "Y-Yes…Yeah… looks like the battery. I-I'm gonna drive her home, I'll fix the car in the morning and then drive it over to her. She can give me a ride back."

"Well, seems like you have things under control. Willie I will require you back here this evening, there are duties that you must attend to."

Willie nodded and ran back to the house, grabbed his keys and then darted back outside. He opened the passenger side of the truck door and gestured for her to climb in. He shut the door and walked around to the other side. Barnabas just stared at him as he climbed into the truck and started it up. It never took Its eyes off of them as they pulled away from the old house.

"That guy creeps me out."

Willie couldn't help but grimace at her comment.

"Seriously Willie he is really an intimidating man and he is so cold to you. He doesn't seem to treat you very nice. Do you know he told me you were his servant? Servant! I mean really! You work for the man. I hope he pays you a fortune."

They drove down the dark road and could see the lights from the small city get brigher.

"Let's stop for a drink Willie."

"W-What? No… I can't"

"Come on! Willie you deserve a break and I would love to just grab a beer. Just one and we will leave. I promise, we won't stay late. Pleeaaaseee?"

Willie looked over at her and something in him just couldn't turn her down. "Ok Ms. Chilton, one…just one and then I gotta get back."

They parked and walked into the Blue Whale, a place Willie hadn't been in for quite some time. As they walked in all eyes were on him, glaring and clearly sending an unwelcome message. They walked over to a small table in the far corner and sat down.

Willie was uncomfortable. "I know what they think of me, and they are right. I'm not worth hangin around with Ms. Chilton. I'm have been a real louse in my past. Are you sure you want to be seen here with me? Why don't I just take ya home huh?"

"Don't be silly. What do they know. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. We have all done stuff we aren't proud of Willie. And I could care less what those stuck up bitches think of me anyway." She was pointing to a group of women in the corner, she had never met them but she could tell their type. "Seriously do they just wake up with hair like that?" She brushed her messy hair away from her face and ordered two beers. Willie was about to object but decided to just keep quiet and try not to draw too much attention to himself.

"So tell me about Chicago Ms. Chilton." Willie didn't want to have to talk, he figured he would get her talking and then he would be safe from questions.

Abigail went on and on about the city. Bigger than life she said. She described the buildings and the lake and the music scene. She gushed about the food and how vibrant everything was. It was easy to see that she loved that city, but not very easy to see why she left it.

"I don't get it…Ya sound like ya loved it. Why on earth did ya leave to come to a tiny little town like this?" Willie was curious, why would anyone come here and leave a place they loved. He would give anything to be able to leave, but he couldn't.

"I had to. I was engaged. Dress bought…flowers were picked out…cake…everything. And then one morning I woke up and looked at him and realized that I didn't love him, I was just … comfortable with him… everyone said he was perfect for me 'Oh you make such a great couple'" Abigail rolled her eyes. "'Oh you should marry him.' That's what everyone said. But I wanted to be more than comfortable so I left him a note, packed up all my stuff and left. If I would have stayed we would be getting married on Saturday"

"A Note?!"

She looked up at Willie "Don't look at me like that…I know… leaving just a note… it was a horrible thing to do…so cowardly. I didn't want him to change my mind. I needed to get out of there. This place was far away and I had family here, so it was a logical choice. Plus there was work here, which was definitely an added bonus."

"This Saturday?" He was shocked, he didn't expect this from her. "What ever happened to the guy?" Willie asked.

"He still calls, but I don't answer. I regret leaving the way I did, but I don't regret leaving." Abigail didn't want to talk about herself anymore so she decided to flip the topic over to him.

"What about you Willie…ever been in love?"

He looked at her, his expression turning blank… "Yes" and then he focused on his beer, which he hadn't touched, and squeezed his eyes shut. "Once."

"What happened?" Abigail saw his mood change and in a way wished she wouldn't have asked... but she really did want to know.

"She..uh…she was killed, shot. She died in my arms." His voice grew so quiet and he shook his head back and forth. "I couldn't save her." He didn't look up, he kept his focus on his beer and his eyes turned glassy. He had never talked to anyone about _her._

Abigail's heart wrenched and tears began to pool behind her eyes.

"What was her name?" she asked quietly.

Willie paused for an eternity. He hadn't spoken her name out loud since the day she was taken from him.

"Isabel…" As he spoke her name an ache washed over his soul and he could feel the tears that welled up in his eyes start to make their escape. "I'm sorry Ms. Chilton, please excuse me… I need some air" Willie quickly stood up from the table and dragged his sleeve over his eyes as he walked outside.

Abigail sat at the table alone for a few minutes and then decided that she would go join him. She dropped money for the check on the table and rushed out the door to find him.

Willie was standing on the pier, looking out onto the horizon holding on to the railing and wiping random tears from his eyes. It was cold out, snow was just beginning to fall and he thought just for a moment how beautiful it looked as it fell and hit the water. Speaking her name after so long brought everything back, he didn't expect to react the way he did.

Abigail stepped up next to him and put her hand on his, he flinched and went to pull it away but she gripped it and ultimately he let her. They said nothing, but she could tell he was hurting.

"You still love her" she said into the darkness.

Willie cleared his throat "Was a long time ago. I-I'm sorry I left ya, I was comin' back, I wouldn't have left ya there for long. I just needed a minute."

"Oh Willie, I'm so sorry." Without thinking she threw her arms around him and hugged him, pulling him close to her. It was not a hug of desire, but one of compassion and friendship.

It took him off guard and at first his arms dangled down at his sides not sure how to respond. But he eventually pulled his arms around her and returned her embrace. They stood there for a few minutes, taking comfort in each other, and then Willie broke the moment and pushed her back.

"No…you can't, I…I can't … you don't understand…I'm sorry Ms. Chilton. I need to get you home. I shouldn't be here." They turned around and started walking back to the Truck.

"Willie what's wrong?"

"I need to go. I-I need ta get back. We shouldn't have stopped here. I gotta get back." The pounding in his head started to return, he knew IT was calling him back to the house, and the longer he took the more trouble he would be in.

They hopped in the truck and he drove her home. He walked her up to her door to make sure she made it safely. But that was for her benefit, he knew far too much about the incidents with the girls. He knew it was the Vampire that had done those things.

She stood at the door, "Are you sure you can't come in?" The temperatures were dropping and it was now terribly cold as they stood there.

"No, t-thank you Ms. Chilton, but I…"

Abigail interrupted him exasperated. "For the thousandth time Willie… Abby…please…call me Abby."

Willie looked at her and was taken off guard with her tone. "_Abby_… I gotta get goin'." Willie tried to give her a smile but he knew it was half-hearted. He turned and ran back to the truck. He was late and the pounding was getting louder and louder.

He knew when he returned It would be waiting for him, waiting and angry.


	7. Chapter 7 - Possession

**Possession**

Willie was speeding down the dark road that led up to the old house. The snow putting him in a trance as it lit up against the truck headlights and bounced off the windshield. His head was pounding with the Vampire's call. He knew he had made several mistakes tonight and the biggest of all of them was opening a part of himself up to Abigail.

Willie pulled the truck into the driveway slowly. He climbed out and walked up to the house, peering through the front window before entering. Barnabas was standing in the middle of the room, stroking the wolf on the top of his cane back and forth. Willie had gotten to know what kind of things It could do with that cane and it frightened him. He didn't want to take another beating tonight, the ache in his side was finally disappearing.

As Willie watched through the window Barnabas slowly turned and looked right at him, sending a jolt of panic straight through him. Willie stood back and slowly walked through the front doors and then shut them. Barnabas was still standing there, waiting for him in the middle of the great room.

"Willie…you are late."

"I-I'm sorry…I took her home like I said I would. She wanted to stop someplace first so I figured I would stop with her and then make sure she got home okay. That's all"

"Apparently Willie you enjoyed being out."

"W-What? No…I-I took her home. That's all"

It walked up to Willie and cornered him near the front doors.

"Knowing how much you like to be out Willie I shall accommodate you. I think perhaps now would be a good time for you to get ahead of some of your duties for tomorrow, and you will be able to stay out, like you wanted."

"B-Barnabas… what?…I-I…I just dropped her off. We only stopped for a short time."

It backed away from him and began to walk back into the great room. "Light fires in both the kitchen and in here Willie."

Willie was confused but he did as he was told, both fires were lit and were roaring. He returned to Barnabas who staring out the front window.

"Fires are lit Barnabas." Willie knew there was something coming but he didn't know what. He could feel it and the anticipation made him sick.

"We will need more wood Willie with both fires burning all night, and since you enjoyed being out so much you won't mind going out again."

Willie stood there processing what It just said.

"Y-You want me to go out and chop wood now? Barnabas…i-it's freezing out there!"

"I thought you liked being out…so GO…OUT!"

"But Barnabas…" The Vampire turned from the window and faced him.

"Barnabas … no…"

Its eyes turned black and It walked towards Willie, raising Its cane. "You had no problem going out and entertaining our guest when your duties were here! It is me you are beholden to Willie, not some little girl with a camera!" The Vampire's voice was menacing and full of rage. "I have left her alone Willie so that she can continue her work on this house, but it is entirely up to you if I continue to do so. Her life is in YOUR hands Willie. Should you neglect my needs again for her I will remove the temptation entirely!"

"No! NO! Barnabas please!"

"Now GO OUT!"

_Christ! No… oh God what have I done. _Willie didn't dare argue. He grabbed his coat and walked through the kitchen and out the back door. A gust of frozen air met his face and sent chills down his back and legs. The moon was hidden behind the clouds and snow was lightly falling. The sky had a pink hue to it as the snow clouds began to roll in.

Willie did as he was told, he sliced through the firewood through the night. The icy air whipping through his ears causing them to ache. Each strike of the axe was fueled by anger towards It and anger towards himself for allowing things to go too far with her. By allowing her to get close he put her in danger.

He continued to slice through the wood but as the night went on the temperatures were dropping. He needed to get out of the cold even if just for a moment. He dropped the axe to the ground and walked to the back door to warm up in the small entryway. He pulled the handle and the door wouldn't budge. _Locked!? Shit._ He walked back around the house to the front and grabbed the handles. _No! _Both entrances were locked.

He looked back at his truck and decided that he would climb in there. He was freezing and the truck would at least give him some shelter. He walked over and pulled up on the handle with no result. _Bastard! _

Willie slid down the side of the truck against the wheel. His hair was wet and almost frozen as the snow continued to fall, harder now that it had before. He looked down at his watch, 1:21am. He had been out there almost 5 hours now. It would be another 4 or 5 hours before IT had to retreat from the daylight. _I won't make it that long._

Willie stood back up and returned to the back of the house, he would continue to do as he was told, but now he wished he wouldn't have stopped. It gave his muscles a chance to rest and stiffen up.

The snow was falling at a heavy and steady pace, his coat and pants were soaked and he no longer had the strength to continue. He sat down next to the stump that he had been using to split the wood and his body would not stop shivering. He thought about going to the doors and begging to be let in, but he wouldn't give IT the satisfaction. He would stay out there until IT let him in or until he froze to death.

As he sat there, the snow falling down around him, he thought about sitting with Abigail at the bar, about their embrace on the pier. He had forgotten how it felt to have someone hold him that way. He wished it wouldn't have happened. It was a feeling that he never missed until tonight. Willie stared into the woods as his thoughts began to get scattered. He saw the fog roll in and closed his eyes and let himself drop into the darkness.

* * *

Abigail watched as Willie ran back to his truck, worried that she might have upset him. Once he was out of view she turned and went into the building and walked up the stairs to her apartment. She was fishing around her purse for her keys and when she looked up she froze, dropping her purse and keys to the floor. There he was, sitting in front of her door, waiting for her.

"Is that the guy? Is that the guy you left me for?"

"Jesus Nick, what are you doing here?" Abigail was shocked and angry and nervous all at once. She never expected him to come out here and find her.

"You never answered my calls. What did you think I was going to do? Just let you go? Read the note and just give up? It never occurred to me that there was someone else. He's not even your type Abby. How long? How long have you been with him?"

"Nick, it's none of your business. You shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry about the note, I should have talked to you face to face, but it doesn't change anything. I can't be with you. I'm not in love with you." She thought maybe she should tell him that it was nothing like that and that he had it all wrong, that Willie was just a friend. But a part of her thought it would be easier to let him think that there was. Maybe he would just leave and accept it.

He stood up and stumbled back catching himself on the door, she realized he had been drinking and she suddenly felt sick. He was a tall man with dark hair that was cut short and always perfectly in place, it was one of the things she disliked about him, that and the fact that when he drank he became belligerent and aggressive.

"You left a fucking note Abby! After two years together I deserved better than that!" He was shouting at her now and she bent down and picked up her purse and keys and walked to her door.

"Stop shouting, God you'll wake the entire building" She opened her door and let him in.

"I saw you at the bar with him Abby. I can't believe you did this to me." He flopped down on the couch as Abby stood nervously by the door. _He was at the bar? Shit! God I didn't even notice him._ "We could still do it… we could still get married!"

"Nick, no. I'm sorry but I'm staying here, and you're right, you deserved better than a note."

He stood up, drunken eyes staring at her, and walked in front of her. He was too close for her liking and she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"You're staying here with HIM!" He shouted. "What is it he has that I don't huh? What?!" He pushed her hard up against the door. "I saw the little shit leave ya sitting there at the table, wiping his eyes as he left like some little girl! Was he cryin'?! He's not even real a man Abigail!"

"Nick…stop! You've been drinking… You need to go before you do something you'll regret. You need to go now!" She reached for the door knob and opened the door.

"Abigail you belong to me! You are mine!"

"I do NOT belong to you or anyone else. I'm not some possession to be owned. Get out Nick. Go back to Chicago. This is over. We are over. I'm sorry." She was surprised to hear how calm she was. Inside she was shaking.

He looked at her and she saw anger flash through his eyes and for a split second she thought he was going to hit her. His jaw clenched tight. "This is not over Abigail." He walked out and slammed the door behind him.

Abigail quickly locked the door and dropped to the floor. Her emotions took over and tears came flooding down her face.

* * *

Willie woke up on the floor in the great room. He was in front of the fire place and could feel the heat radiating from it. He sat up and looked down at his clothes. His jacket was off hanging over the mantel and his shoes and socks were sitting on the floor beside him. He was only wearing his t-shirt and pants and a blanket was draped over him. He pulled the blanket tight around him, still shivering, and tried to figure out how he got there. He looked out the front window and it was still dark. A sick feeling dropped into his stomach as he realized that It was still roaming the house somewhere. That must be how he got here. It must have brought him in, the thought confused him.

"Here, drink this." Barnabas walked into the great room from the kitchen, handing him a mug of hot water with one of the tea packets that Willie had in the kitchen.

Willie looked up at him, his eyes full of confusion.

"T-thanks…" Willie took the mug and wrapped his hands around it. He was cold.

"Barnab-"

"Stop talking Willie. Drink the tea. I am simply taking care of what belongs to me Willie. I do not need you dead. I need you obedient. I'm going upstairs. You may return to your room when you have finished warming up here. When you deliver Ms. Chilton her car tomorrow I expect you to return back here immediately. I am vulnerable here alone during the day."

Willie simply acknowledged by nodding his head and Barnabas' words repeated through his head. _I am simply taking care of what belongs to me._ Willie was Its possession, nothing more and nothing less. It was a hopeless feeling. Willie pulled the blanket around him and finished his tea trying not to think about Isabel, or Barnabas or Abigail…he tried not to think at all.


	8. Chapter 8 - Limits

**Limits**

Willie sat in front of the warm fire, his hands gripping the mug and his bare feet up as close as he could get them to the flames, the rest of him wrapped in the blanket. He wondered if he would ever warm up enough to stop shivering. A part of him just wanted to curl up and fall asleep there, to tired to move, but eventually he picked himself up off of the floor and pulled the blanket tight around him. He walked back into the kitchen and was glad to find the water still sitting on the fire. He poured one more cup and grabbed a second packet of tea to bring back to his room. He took one of the candlesticks that was lit beside the table, climbed up the back stairs and set the mug of hot water on the dresser and dropped the blanket to the floor. It was freezing tonight in his room and as he looked for something to sleep in he opted for the warmest clothes he could find.

Willie sat listening to the silence of the old house until he heard Its voice coming from the large room down the hall. Willie stood up, the floor was cold under his feet, and he made his way down the hallway. When he looked into the large bedroom there was a single candle lit on one of the dressers. He saw Barnabas standing in the center of the room, looking up at a portrait of a woman hanging over the fireplace. The room was in shambles and the flickering candle light cast the Vampires shadow eerily across the walls . Willie listened as IT stood there in the dark, talking to the ghost in the portrait. It was as if It was having a full blown conversation with it, responding to phantom answers from the canvas.

Willie watched in disbelief or maybe fear as It spoke to the portrait. He wondered if the Vampire was communicating with her, or if IT was totally deranged. He would bet on the latter.

"Leave us Willie. Go to bed."

Willie said nothing, simply turned and walked back to his room. Barnabas was not far behind, he could hear his footsteps coming down the hall. Barnabas reached into Willies room and grabbed the door to close it.

Willie was standing facing the door, his hands outstretched in front of him trying in vein to plead with It. "Barnabas please... please don't lock me in...I won't go anywhere...I-I swear." He hated being confined in that room, but his pleading fell on deaf ears. Barnabas quickly shut and locked the door and Willie let out a quiet sob of defeat.

Willie sat on the end of the bed and dropped his head in his hands, overwhelmed with the realization that his entire life dangled by a thread, and the end of that thread was in the grip of a complete madman.

* * *

Abigail pulled her emotions together. She got up off the floor and walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea. It seemed over the last few days things had been chaos and now Nick was here. She prayed that he would just go home, go back to Chicago and move on. But somehow she knew he meant what he said. It wasn't over…not yet.

She sat down in the living room, curling up with a blanket in the corner of the couch, holding on to her tea as thoughts of Willie and their embrace jumped into her mind. A smile crept across her face, she liked holding him. When she pulled him close to her she felt like he filled an empty chasm, like a piece that was missing was found. Her smile quickly turned into a frown when she thought of the conversation that led to that. The thought of a blonde haired, sky blue eyed boy holding on to his love as she lay there dying in his arms. She began to cry at the thought of it. She could tell by the look in his eyes when he talked about her that he truly loved her, and she was disgusted with herself for feeling jealous of a woman she had never met and who met such a horrible end.

She took what was left of her now cold tea and set it down on the table and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and climbed into bed. She was too tired to even change. But as she lay there, there was one thing that brought her comfort and it washed a sense of calm over her. For the first time in a long time she was in control of her own life, no one else was there to tell her what to do and when to do it. It was a sense of freedom and despite the crazy events of the last few days she was finally able to sleep knowing that she was in control.

* * *

Willie woke up early and grabbed his clothes and went down to the kitchen to clean himself up. He would let the water heat up hotter than normal this morning, still feeling chilled from the night before. He headed outside and the freshly fallen snow was bright as the sun beat down on it. He walked over to Abigail's car and was able to clean off the corroded battery terminals and get the car started again.

He hopped in the car and headed to her apartment, stopping first at the diner and picking up two coffees.

Willie walked up to her building and looked for her number on the mailboxes.

_Abigail Chilton - 213_

He climbed up the stairs and hesitated for a moment before he knocked on the door. _Just knock for Christ's sake. _ Finally he knocked on the door and could hear her inside coming towards it.

Abigail threw the door open. "Willie! Hi… how are you… you okay? I'm so sorry about yesterday…" she gave him a quick hug which threw him completely off guard and she was rambling and nervous.

"Whoa…Slow down Ms. Chilton…" She shot him a look of disapproval.

"A-Abby…I meant Abby… relax. I-I'm fine. Here I brought ya some coffee." She took the coffee from him and gestured for him to come further in.

"Thanks Willie, I'm almost ready." Abigail grabbed a scarf and pull a hat over the untamed curls around her face. Willie looked at her and tried to ignore the fact that he found her attractive. He focused instead on her apartment. It was smaller than he thought it would be, but bright and inviting. He noticed little things like the coffee pot on the counter and the small television in the corner. Little comforts that he had taken for granted before living in the old house.

"Can I get you anything before we go?" She asked him, half hoping he would say yes so that they could sit together and talk for a while.

"N-No… I really need ta get back." Barnabas' words echoed through his head. _Return immediately._

They walked to the car and she rushed up beside him and playfully grabbed the keys from his hands taking him by surprise. "I'll drive Wilie!" Abigail refused to let the events of the night before ruin her day.

"I-I'd prefer if I drove…if ya don't mind." Willie went to grab the keys back from her but she spun around him and beat him to the driver's seat.

Willie reluctantly climbed into the passenger side of the car.

"So you fix houses, and furniture and cars…Willie is there anything you don't know how to fix?" Abigail was looking warmly at him and smiling. Willie started to blush at the comment and then grew serious.

"There are many things I wish I could fix that I can't" He grew quiet and stared out the window as Abigail pulled away from the apartment building. They drove in silence for a while as they headed out towards the old house. Willie was uncomfortable.

"Some music! That's what we need." She put the radio on to cut through the deafening silence and a familiar song drifted from the speakers and into Willies ears. _Thank the Lord for the Nighttime. _Willie slowly reached over to the radio controls and flipped the radio off.

"I hate that song." He said quietly.

Abigail looked over at him slightly amused. "Not a Neil Diamond fan I take it. I'll make a note of it." She grinned at him and noticed that his face looked pale and he looked completely exhausted.

Abigail continued to drive and a speedy pace and Willie was thinking that she better slow down, the turn off the highway that led to the old house was coming up quick.

"Ms. Chi- uh..Abby… you are going to miss our turn."

"I know. I have a surprise for you." Abigail was excited. She found a great place that did all kinds of restoration work in the next town over. It had all kinds of fixtures and pieces from the original era of the house for sale too. She figured now was as good a time as any to take him there. It would save him a lifetime of work at the old house.

"W-What? No!" Willie stared out the window and looked back as they passed the turn off. "Abby… where are we going?" _Shit…Where are we going? SHIT!_

"Relax Willie, it's just outside the city limits, a fifteen – twenty minute drive tops."

_Oh my God...I - I can't go beyond the city limits..._Willie saw the signs speed past. _No…NO NO!_

Willie's head began to pound, he could feel the thumping begin. They were getting closer to the edge of town.

"Abby please… please turn around. You have to turn around!" Willie was looking at her, panic setting in. His palms began to sweat and he could feel his chest tighten.

"Willie don't be silly! You'll see… you'll be happy I took you here. You really need to relax and smile a little bit." She didn't look over at him and didn't notice that his face was completely white and sweat was starting to bead on his forehead.

"You…you don't understand, we need to turn around." A lump was forming in his throat and his heart started to race.

The sour knot was making its way into Willies stomach and his chest was pounding. Pain began to shoot through his veins with each heartbeat. They were getting closer and closer to the edge of town and he was desperate for her to stop the car. His breathing was shallow and at any moment he thought he would begin to vomit.

Between gasping breaths he shouted.

_"ABBY! PLEASE! …STOP THE CAR! …STOP... THE… FUCKING CAR!" _Abigail was startled by his shouting. She looked over at him and he was almost completely slumped against the car window.

"Jesus Willie! Your bleeding!" Willie looked down at his wrist and pulled his coat down over it. _Oh God no! NO! _ He was bleeding badly from the wounds on his wrist and the blood was beginning to soak into his shirt and coat sleeve. His surroundings were starting to spin and his field of vision was getting smaller and smaller.

"Please Abby" Willie looked at her, tears in his eyes, he grabbed her hand, not realizing it was covered in blood… "I'm begging you…stop the car."

Abby hit the brakes and slowed down but before she could bring it to a complete stop Willie opened the door and rolled out. He began to drag himself back in the opposite direction as fast as he could, making his way back towards Collinsport.

"What the hell? WILLIE!" Abigail turned the car around and parked on the side of the road. She hopped out of the car and ran towards him. He didn't get far.

"Willie…WILLIE! My God! What's wrong?" He was doubled over on the side of the road, his stomach forcing him to heave involuntarily. Abigail knelt down and put her arm around him. "Jesus Willie…what is it?... you're bleeding badly!" She brushed the blonde hair that had fallen into his eyes across his forehead.

"Get the car Abby…please. I-I'll be okay. Just get the car."

Abigail turned and ran back to the car and drove up to him. He stood up as best he could and she helped him get back into the passenger side. Blood still pouring from his wrist, and spilling on her as she tried to load him in.

"Willie..." Abigail was frightened.

"Please just drive back to Collinwood. Please!"

She ran back to the drivers side and started driving, speeding back. "You need a hospital Willie. We are going to the hospital."

"N-NO! Please, I-I'm okay… just back to Collinwood"

Abigail hit the gas, constantly looking over at Willie and then back at the road. She watched as the mysterious symptoms began to fade. His breathing returned back to normal. His stomach settled and most importantly he stopped bleeding. He seemed to be almost back to normal.

Willie's mind was reeling, _How the fuck do I explain this? Why…Why did she hafta go out of town. _

She pulled into the old house and parked the car. They both sat there for a moment, she never took her eyes off of him, he could feel her stare right through him as he kept his focus on the floor. He wasn't sure what to say, so he opened the car door and climbed out.

She didn't move. She sat in the car and just watched him walk up towards the steps of the house. Her mind was reeling. _What the hell just happened?_ She didn't understand it. How could he possibly be fine? What is going on with him? _He is sick...really sick._

Willie turned and looked at her, seeing her sitting in the car just staring at him. He sat down on the steps of the old house and wondered how long she was going to sit there.

After what seemed like forever she finally opened her door and walked towards Willie not saying a word. She sat down next to him on the steps, still silent. Willie stared at the ground, wringing his hands tightly. Abigail held her hands out in front of her, they were shaking and covered in blood, his blood, from when she helped get him into the car. Willie glanced over as she held them out, a vile feeling sweeping over him.

He reached over and clasped her hands in his. They both looked at each other, still silent, staring into each other's eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came and tears began to fall from her face.


	9. Chapter 9: Forgetting

**Forgetting**

Willie didn't know how to respond and he didn't understand why she cared so much, why on earth would she cry for him? It made no sense. He tried to think of a lie that might get him out of this but nothing came to him, so he decided to try telling a little bit of the truth.

"Abby please... I - I'm ok... I- I just...I ..God..." Willie dropped his head down, "I just get sick sometimes, I can't explain it...but it happens…but I'm okay... I swear."

"You're okay?! God Willie, you had me so scared." She continued to stare at him and she wished he would look at her. "So much blood Willie..." Abigail grabbed his hands and he flinched. She held them tight and turned them palm side up, they were stained with blood. She was so confused. "Have you seen a doctor? Have they said what's wrong? Is this the same sickness you had months ago?" She sighed and got very quiet. "They told me that you almost died. They said you had suffered from massive blood loss Willie...but never could figure out why. They said that after your illness you changed."

Willie realized that she had done her homework on him, which meant she probably knew all about the terrible things he had done too. In some way he felt exposed and ashamed. "Y-yeah...it's the same, and no...they ...they don't know what it is, a-and they don't know why the wound doesn't heal." _...but I do..._

"Is that why you don't eat much...because of your illness?" She had been with him a lot in the last couple of weeks and it was obvious that with the exception of a coffee or small meal he barely ate.

He pulled his hands from hers and set them in his lap. This was getting exhausting.

"Y-yeah...I...m-most food makes me sick to my stomach." He looked up at her wishing that this conversation would just end. He didn't want to talk about it anymore, ever. It was bad enough to live with it but to have to talk about it was torture.

"Oh Willie..." she brushed the hair from his eyes "...you look so tired. It must be so frightening." Willie was choking back tears. He wanted to tell her how frightened he was, how every day he woke up scared and how he lived as a prisoner of the old house and beholden against his will to a monster. A monster that he had released. But he would never let her know the truth. He would do what he could to protect her, knowledge equaled death in that house.

"Abby, you should go...leave this house and don't come back. Forget about the restoration, forget about Barnabas..."

"...and forget about you? " She finished his sentence.

"Y-Yes...Jesus Abby…forget about me." A tearless sob escaped Willie as he spoke the words out loud. He hated himself for letting her get close to him, he knew he had to find a way to make her go. It had already gone too far. He wished he never would have met her so he wouldn't have to turn her away.

"Willie, I care about you ... whether you like it or not." With those words she grabbed Willie and once again embraced him, pulling him towards her and realizing in that moment that she was falling for him. For this poor, sick, mysterious man that she barely knew; it scared her.

"No! You...you shouldn't ...you can't care about me Abby." Willie whispered into her hair as she held on to him. "I'm nothing. Please...don't..." He pushed her away from him. "You don't understand..."

Abigail didn't hear his words, she was thinking of the first day she saw him, it must have been his sickness that had him crying in the great room alone, and then a terrible thought overcame her.

"Willie...are you dying?" solitary tears again ran down her cheeks.

Willie put his head down, the answer to that question was a simple one if he were to tell the truth.._.Im already dead ... _But he couldn't bear to see her cry anymore.

"Abby I'm okay. Please. Come on...let's go get cleaned up." Willie stood up and pulled her up with him. They walked into the kitchen and Willie built a large fire in the fireplace. Abigail sat and watched him and thought how difficult it must be living in this house. Willie filled the large kettle with water and placed it over the fire.

"It will warm up quick ..." He looked over at her and flashed her a smile trying to lighten the mood.

Willie pulled his jacket off, the entire sleeve was sticky and covered in blood. He noticed she had some on her coat as well and gestured for her to take it off. Willie put both coats on the table and began to heat up a second pot of water so that he could use it to clean the clothes.

"Willie... I'll just take mine home and clean it. I'll take yours too. You have another one right?" Willie nodded. "Give me your shirt too...I can clean both for you."

Willie agreed, but wouldn't dare take his shirt off for fear of the scars that ran across his back might be seen. He had explained one horrible scene today, he wouldn't make it through a second one. He went upstairs and changed and brought his clothes down to her.

"Are you sure it's no trouble?" Willie was slightly embarrassed handing them over to her.

"Don't be silly. So Willie, are they still trying to find out what is wrong? Do they have you on anything? Treatments?" She still didn't understand this mysterious illness.

Frustrated Willie turned and looked at her. "No…no treatments, no doctors, no hospitals. I'm fine. It's fine…please can we just drop it?"

She frowned but agreed to let the subject go. Clearly it was upsetting him.

They both sat in the kitchen for a while, talking and trying to pretend everything was normal. Abigail thought about telling Willie about her visit from Nick, but she decided against it. She had been worried that he would show up at her apartment again but she didn't want to burden Willie with her troubles, he had enough of his own to deal with.

The rest of the day went by quickly. Abigail completed documenting all but the large bedroom upstairs. She still hoped to take a peek in the attic and the basement before it was all said and done, but she would need Barnabas' approval for that. Willie finished up the last of the patch work in the great room. It was almost done and even he was surprised with how good it turned out.

"Willie, I'm going to head home. You going to be here in the morning?" Abigail was grabbing her coat and Willie's blood covered clothes and was standing by the door. She watched as Willie walked into the foyer from the kitchen. He seemed perfectly normal and with the exception of the deep circles under his eyes, no one would ever know he was sick.

"No...I'm gonna be going into town in the mornin'. Have ta pick up a few things. I should be back around ten though." Willie was walking towards her and then a sour taste flushed up into his throat and his stomach knotted.

"Oh Shit! M-My coat Abby... " Willie pulled the coat out from Abby's hands and dug his hand into the inside pocket. He fished out a folded piece of paper and an envelope full of money. "Shit SHIT! "

"Willie...what is it?" Abby watched him as he read the note and began to pace around the room.

"I forgot...My God he's gonna kill me. How the hell could I forget!?." Willie looked at the address written on the piece of paper and then looked at her. _He's gonna kill her if he finds out I was with her. Shit!_

"What ? What did you forget?"

"A dressing table. There was a dressing table that I was to go pick up today. I forgot to pick it up." Willie continued to pace the floor.

"So? Pick it up tomorrow. What's the big deal?"

"I-I can't ... It was an estate sale, one day estate sale. It's probably sold now. " Willie slumped against the wall with his hands entwined in his hair. This wasn't any dressing table, apparently it once belonged to the ghost in the portrait. The portrait that Barnabas spent hours on end talking to. It was an original, one of a kind dressing table and it belonged to her and he was supposed to get it from the estate sale.

"My God he is going to kill me... Abby y-you gotta go. You gotta go now. Stay away for a few days okay? Please? I'm sure ya have other things to work on... just don't come around okay?"

"I'm sure he won't be that mad Willie. I mean seriously what is the worst he can do? Maybe fire ya...but if you ask me that wouldn't be the worst thing."

"Look y-ya gotta go." Willie stood up and rushed her out the door. "I'll see ya in a few days. Stay away for a while ok? Promise me... promise me you will stay away for a few days." Willie didn't want her around. He knew this mistake would not go unpunished. He ushered her to her car.

"Willie your coat..." She reached out her hand and he gave it to her reluctantly.

"Abby..." Willie grabbed her hand tight through the car door. His pale blue eyes pleading. "Promise me Abby...you'll stay away."

"O-okay Willie, I'll do what you ask, but only a day or two. That is it." She was sure he was overreacting but she agreed to leave him be, but only for a day.

Abigail pulled away from the house and Willie looked at the sun, the last bits of light were scattered over the horizon. It was beautiful and terrifying. Soon It would wake and Willie would need to face It.

* * *

Wille worked at a feverish pace after Abigail left. He lit the candles and did the regular chores in record time. The entire time the thought of his mistake racked his brain. He stacked the firewood in the kitchen and then walked into the great room and froze. It was standing there staring out the front window. Willie stood as quiet as he could and slowly tried to turn and return to the kitchen and buy himself a little more time before he had to face it.

"Where are you going Willie?" It knew he was there without even turning to look. It turned slowly and faced him.

"No - nowhere Barnabas." Willie was nervous, petrified of what might happen next. He was hoping that It wouldn't ask him about the dressing table and that by some miracle it didn't sell and he would be able to pick it up tomorrow, or he would find out who bought it and buy it back from them, and Barnabas would never know.

Barnabas looked around the great room and ran It's long fingers along the desk and the book shelf. He looked at the walls and the fireplace and a strange smile stretched across Its face. "Willie you have done a good job here. I am pleased. You may retire early. Get some rest. Tomorrow you will start Josette's room."

Willie stood frigid, every muscle tensed waiting there for It to ask about the dressing table. But It didn't. "O-Okay" He turned and headed to his bedroom and once inside he was hopeful that It wouldn't remember. He changed into a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pants and climbed into bed. He was exhausted and uncharacteristically fell asleep hard, relieved that the Vampire had forgotten. Tomorrow he would find the table and the problem would be solved.

* * *

Abigail made it home in record time. She was exhausted and as she parked her car anxiety grew in her chest worried that she would again find Nick sitting at her door. She didn't have the energy to deal with him tonight.

She climbed up the stairs and with a huge sigh of relief she found the hallway empty. She went to her door and opened it and was more than happy to go into her little apartment alone. She locked the door and flipped on the lights and let out a gasp as she pulled her hand up over her mouth.

"What the hell?" Flowers…everywhere. There were flowers on the table and counters. All in vases and all different kinds. Roses, tulips, daisies.. everywhere. She went from the kitchen and living room into her bedroom. More flowers there, every room was inhabited by them. She made her way back to the kitchen and there was a card on the table addressed "My Sweet Abigail"

She hesitated opening it and she started to feel sick. She pulled the card out read the note scrawled on it.

_I love you. _

_You belong to me. _

_I won't give up. _

_Please…meet me for dinner tomorrow. 7:30 at the Maple Leaf _

_Love Nick_

She took the note and tossed it on the table. _How the hell did he get in here? Shit what if he is still here? _She was frightened. She grabbed the phone and called Alex hoping he was home and could come by.

"Alex…It's Nick. He is here…He…"

"Yes I know!" He interrupted her. "I saw him today, guess you guys had a fight huh? He wanted to send you flowers, I let him him hope that was okay." She forgot she gave him an extra key.

"You let him into my apartment? Jesus Alex! I left the guy. He showed up here yesterday drunk, belligerent. He pushed me up against the door and then I come home to this!? I canceled our wedding for Christ's sake… didn't it dawn on you that I may not want him in my apartment? Dammit I wish you wouldn't have let him in."

"God Abbs I'm sorry! Shit I had no idea…I thought … wait he pushed you? Did he hurt you? I'll kill the fucker."

"No just leave it be. Please don't let him in…never let anyone into my apartment Alex. Look I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Ughhh I'm so angry right now. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"I'm sorry Abby really I am…I'll stop by your place in the morning. We can grab coffee."

"Fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Abigail was furious. She slammed the phone down and looked around the room. Every flower made her nauseous. She pulled all the flowers from her bedroom and put them in the kitchen and then climbed into bed and eventually fell into a troubled sleep.

* * *

Willie was asleep, the candle still lit on his dresser and the fire in the fireplace throwing warmth into the room.

The lock slowly turned and the door creaked open. The vampire walked into Willie's room and stood over his bed watching him sleep.

Willie was gripping at his pillow, tossing from one side to the next. He pulled the pillow up over his head, the pounding was growing, slowly calling him from his sleep. _No…NO! _He rolled over and before he even opened his eyes he knew It was there in the room with him. His heart started to race and he reluctantly opened his eyes.

"B-Barnabas..." Willie slowly sat up and pulled the blanket tight to his chest.

"Where is it Willie...why isn't it in Josette's room?"

_The dressing table. Fuck. I'm dead._

"B-Barnabas...I-I didn't get it. " Every muscle tightened and Willie sat rigid on the bed with fear.

Its eyes flashed over and turned dead black. "What do you mean you didn't get it." Its voice raged.

Willie tried to back himself off the bed and away from It but his legs were twisted in the blanket and he slipped onto the floor. Frantically he untangled himself and stood up and backed into the corner of the room.

"I forgot to get it Barnabas, I'm sorry. I'll go tomorrow and find it. I'll get it. I swear."

"You forgot?! FORGOT? It was a simple task Willie! ... You were distracted. You were with our Ms. Chilton!" The vampire was enraged with him.

"No...NO!" Willie started to walk towards it. "It wasn't like that Barnabas. I just forgot..."

"I have had enough of your distractions Willie. I have had enough of your disobedience!. I thought after last night it was clear that I will remove her presence if it happened again." It turned and walked out of the room.

Willie ran after him and grabbed It's arm. It took It's hand and swung it backwards, It's ring making contact with the side of Willies face, tearing it open and sending him sideways into the wall.

Willie pulled himself back up and continued to chase him down the front stairs, blood running from his cheek where Its ring made contact.

"Barnabas...please. No. Please...you can punish me...but leave the girl. It was my fault. Punish me in whatever way you want. I won't fight...I'll go quietly...I won't struggle. I'll obey. Please leave the girl...just leave her be." Willie knew what he was offering was going to cost him dearly. He knew that if It took him up on his offer the punishment would be fierce, but he didn't care. He would do anything to protect Abigail.

It turned to look at Willie and then grabbed him by the flimsy white t-shirt.

"You are not to pay her any more attention Willie. You will leave her be and when she is here you will only speak to her if she speaks to you first. You will keep your answers short and you will not allow her to distract you."

Willie felt a rush of sadness come over him. Barnabas would make sure that Willie found no comfort in anyone and it made Willie sick with despair that he would need to cut all ties with her.

"Willie...follow me." It grabbed a candelabra from the table and began to walk towards the kitchen. Willie followed him, his offer obviously accepted. He followed him through the kitchen and then up the back stairs to the second floor and then he froze on the second floor landing and watched It in horror as It continued to climb, and took the staircase that led to the attic. _The attic..no..._ Willie started to tremble as he slowly climbed up the stairs. He reached the third floor landing and entered the door to the attic.

The vampire walked around the attic perimeter and lit the oil lamps that were hanging on the walls, a slow yellow glow lighting the vast room.

As the room became visible in the flickering light Willie looked around it. To his surprise it was mostly empty. One end had furniture stacked in it and he could not see the other end, it was too dark. There were strange posts that ran from the floor to the ceiling, eight in all. Willie stared at them and then he felt as though the floor fell from him and a wave of nausea consumed him. It took everything he had not to turn and run. _Fuck…_ He looked at Barnabas in disbelief and then repeated to himself over and over. _Do as your told or he'll kill her. He'll kill her or worse._


	10. Chapter 10 - Privacy

**Privacy**

The attic smelled mostly like cedar but there was an odd musty aroma to it too. The floor was wood and the planks were uneven, Willie could feel the boards and nail heads poking up on his bare feet. He walked, rotating slowly, looking at each one of the beams; they were all the same. His head was spinning as he walked around them and he was only half listening to Barnabas talk to him. He felt his chest tighten as he inspected the posts. His breathing grew quick and he found it difficult to swallow. He could feel the terror building and fought back against the sour knot that was threatening to make its escape.

"Willie, do you know what these are?" It pounded the side of one of the pillars.

They were square posts about a foot wide and there was a metal cuff on one side of the post and then another on the opposite side. _What the hell…shit...no…_ As Willie walked around the posts his fingers touched the cuffs and he tried to swallow the lump that was growing in his throat.

There was a lever at the base of the post and a piece of leather that was attached and hanging a few feet from the ground on one side of the wooden beam. _What the hell…t-this cant be! What the hell are these?_

_"_Willie when my family and I first lived in this house we had many servants; servants who were obedient and understood their place. Not like you. Nothing like you! They were obedient Willie because they understood that they would be physically punished if they weren't. It was a common practice then and it is a pity that it is not a common practice now. When servants would steal or disobey it was acceptable to punish them."

Willie lifted one of the leather belts that hung from one of the posts. It was a simple belt but the edges on it were rough and the leather was old and cracking. He could hear Barnabas continue to talk but it was as if he were a thousand miles away.

"Most punishments were done in public in the very park that your Ms. Chilton finds so lovely in the center of town."

Willie stood and looked at It at the mention of her name and began to pace almost as if he were lost among the posts. The weight of his situation was setting in fully…his error, his stupid forgetfulness, it was going to cost him more than he bargained for.

"Take your shirt off Willie." Willie's eyes filled with fear, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place for him. He knew what the posts were for. _God help me._ He took his shirt off and dropped it on the floor. _Do it or it will kill her. Don't argue…that was the deal… For her… For her…_

His skin instantly chilled and he stood there trembling in the warm glow of the oil lamps. It was cold in the attic and he realized that he could see his breath.

"Stand in front of one of the posts Willie and place your hands in the cuffs." Willie looked at the cuffs, the metal was about 2 or 3 inches wide and shoulder height. Shaking he reached his arms up and placed his hands in the loose metal rings. _Y-you made a deal…you traded... she keeps her life and you endure Its punishment._ He held his breath and dropped his head down as It walked over to the post and bent down towards the lever. Willie never uttered a word. _For her…it will be over soon. _

In a single motion the vampire pulled the lever arm down. A loud metal clanking sound cracked through the attic and the cuffs snapped tight around Willies wrists, pinching his skin beneath it. His body shuttered and he gasped as a small cry escaped him, they were so tight and instinctively he tried to see if he could pull out of them, it was impossible. _Don't fight it Willie…don't call out…don't beg. You made a deal. _

* * *

She looked down at her hands and they were covered in blood and then she looked at him and he was lying there on the ground, blood running from his wrists and mouth, matted into his hair and pooling beneath him. She screamed and suddenly snapped out of a deep sleep, crying out, her cheeks wet and her heart racing. At first she wasn't sure where she was and it took a moment for to get her bearings, the soft glow from her nightlight illuminating the room. _A bad dream…thank God it was a dream…_ She was dreaming of Willie and thoughts of his lifeless body lying on the ground. She wiped the tears from her eyes and crawled out of bed and went into the bathroom, her hands shaking, and turned on the warm water and washed her face. As she did it she thought of him, even something so simple like this he wasn't able to do in that house. _Why does he stay there? I just don't get it._

Abigail walked into the kitchen, the flowers filled the room with a sweet smell that normally she would find pleasant. She glanced at the clock over the stove, 2:42am, she was wide awake. She pulled the milk out and poured it into a pot on the stove. Ever since she was a kid a little warm milk and honey always soothed her.

She couldn't stop thinking about Willie, deep in her gut she felt something was wrong and she was consumed with worry. She knew he asked her to stay away but she had a strange feeling that he was in trouble, it was so strong that she nearly jumped in her car and drove to him to make sure he was okay.

She pulled the milk off of the stove and poured it into her mug with the honey and curled up on the couch beneath a big blanket. She gazed out the window, it was snowing lightly outside and the flecks glistened under the street lights like glitter falling to the ground. She wished Willie was next to her sharing in the warmth of the big blanket and she wondered if he would ever open himself up enough to allow her to get closer to him.

* * *

Willie tried to look around the room to find where the vampire was standing, but his range of motion was limited and as he twisted around the metal cuffs cut into his wrists.

"Our family didn't believe in public punishments. We valued our privacy so my father had these installed in the attic." It continued to walk around the attic behind Willie, conscious of the fact that Willie wouldn't be able to see where he was.

"They were very effective and having them here in the house was a constant reminder to the servants of what could happen if they stepped out of line. You Willie continue to step out of line."

Willie leaned his head against the beam and fear filled every inch of his body. He squeezed the tears back trying to hold it together telling himself that eventually this would be over and she would still be alive.

The vampire walked directly behind Willie and he could feel Its cold breath on the back of his neck. It felt like a thousand maggots wriggling against his skin, it made him sick and it took all that he had to not vomit, although his body was involuntarily trembling. The vampire then reached down and grabbed the leather strap that was attached to the left side of the beam and wrapped it around Willie's hips attaching it to the right side of the beam and then pulled it tight. Willie winced as the raw edges of the leather cut into his hips and he let out shallow gasps as his body was forced closer to the beam. He found that with the strap fastened he lost most of the limited mobility that he had. _This is insane...he is crazy...this can't be happening...shit! You need to focus Willie…keep it together. You asked for this. It is for her…to keep her alive._

Willie began to tremble harder now, but he didn't say a word. He agreed to this punishment, although at this moment he was beginning to second guess himself.

His entire body flinched as a loud crack echoed through the attic. _No..no no no..._

"You ignored your duties today Willie, you cost me a great deal. It was HERS! She would sit in front of it for hours getting ready. She loved it, I gave it to her as an engagement present and it gave her joy. Her name was carved delicately on the side. It was beautiful and it was sold when this house was abandoned, like much of the other furniture. I FOUND it Willie…and you failed to retrieve it. You failed because you were entranced in that girl. When you think of her I want you to think of this…"

Willie felt a hot white pain sear across his back. He gasped for air but didn't cry out. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and clamped his hands into fists, his entire body tensed. His back felt cold at first and then it felt like a fire was erupting.

Another whistle and then a crack came down upon him, the white hot pain searing across his lower back, and then another and another.

Willie was sweating and trying desperately not to cry out, taking the punishment that he agreed to. Each blow he hoped was the last, but the vampire was not relenting. The blows were getting harder and the skin on his back was torn into ribbons. Willie could feel his warm blood drip down from his back. He held on as long as he could but the pain was unbearable and he finally cracked and began to sob, his head dropping between his arms.

"I-I'm so s-sorry…" He was barely able to stay up on his feet, sweat dripping from his forehead into his eyes, but the blows continued. Willie lost his footing and the weight of his body pulled on his wrists causing the metal cuffs to cut into them. He quickly tried to get up under himself again. _Please…oh please make him stop…PLEASE!_

By the time the blows stopped Willie was barely conscious. The vampire walked over to the post and undid the leather band. It then walked to the lever and bent down and flipped it up. Willies wrists slid out of the metal cuffs and he collapsed to the floor, tears flooding from his eyes.

"I don't expect to have any more problems with you Willie." The vampire walked around the perimeter of the attic, blowing out all of the lamps and left the candelabra lit on the floor next to Willie. Willie's entire body was on fire and the pain that washed over him was unbearable. The sour knot once again won and took over his body sending him into dry heaves against the attic floor.

Barnabas reached down to lift him off of the floor and Willie turned and managed to get to his knees.

"No…NO! I'll get up m-myself. P-please…d-don't touch me." Willie was pushing Its hand off of his arm and trying desperately to get to a standing position.

"Willie, let me help you to your room." Barnabas stood looking down at him, Its voice calm and if Willie didn't know better almost laced with concern.

"NO!" Willie shouted at it, his teeth clenched and his voice shaking. He crawled to the wall and pulled himself up, pain burning into his body. He managed to get himself to the staircase and could feel the blood dripping from his back into his pants and down his legs.

"Willie…" Barnabas stood behind him, watching in disbelief as Willie dragged himself down the stairs. His feet barely landing on the steps, and in a few spots he slipped down several stairs at a time. Willie was determined to get back to his room on his own. He would not allow It to help him or carry him. He took his punishment quietly like he promised. He would finish it with what dignity he had left, which he admitted wasn't much.

Willie almost made it to his room but the hallway began to grow longer and longer once he hit the landing. His room looked like it was miles away and the end of the hall was getting narrow. The floor suddenly began to twist and the doors disappeared.

Barnabas was close behind him and saw him begin to fall. It dropped down and caught him before he hit the floor and picked him up much like a child and carried his unconscious servant to his room.

Despite Willie's intentions he had slipped into the darkness.

* * *

It was nearly 5 in the morning and Abigail had dozed off on the couch. She awoke to the sound of a snow plow driving past her apartment. She looked out the window and it was snowing hard now. Big heavy flakes hitting the ground. It was almost Thanksgiving and she loved the thought of snow during the holidays.

If she would have stayed in Chicago she would be getting married tomorrow and they would have been spending their first Thanksgiving on some tropical island eating some crappy hotel buffet instead of the Thanksgiving feasts she loved. Another decision she wasn't allowed to disagree with.

She had to figure out what she was going to do about dinner tonight and if she was going to meet Nick. She hated the restaurant that he picked. The Maple Leaf was a cliché seafood restaurant where the waiters dressed in suits and hovered over your table, ready to pounce at the drop of a napkin or god forbid a water glass that had two sips out of it. He really hadn't paid much real attention to her at all in their two years together, if he did he would have asked her to pick the place, and she would have picked the dumpy little Cantonese restaurant that was decorated with Christmas lights all year round and only had 5 things on the menu. Maybe she and Willie could go there she thought, if he ever felt up to it.

With that thought she made her way back to her bedroom and climbed back into bed. She decided that she would go to dinner with Nick and hopefully end things once and for all. _I owe him that much right? _At least she was going to be in public with people around. The thought of being alone with him in the privacy of apartment made her nervous. Abigail lay in bed and stared at the ceiling until the alarm rang.

* * *

Willie opened his eyes and he was lying on his stomach in his bed. As he went to shift his position he could feel every individual slash on his back tighten and pull, pain erupting from them all. It was excruciating and he held his breath for a moment, fearing the pain that came with breathing. His shirt was still off and the covers were pulled only to his waist. Barnabas stood in the corner of the room wringing out a blood stained towel.

"Stay lying down Willie. Tomorrow you will stay in bed, I highly doubt you will be much use to anyone anyway. If Ms. Chilton comes do not answer. I will check your wounds tomorrow evening. I assume you will be more inclined to remain obedient and do as I say."

Willie didn't respond, he turned his head in the opposite direction and gripped the bed tight trying to offset the pain, tears began to stream down his face. He didn't want It to see them.

The vampire grabbed some sort of salve or gel, Willie wasn't sure what it was, it was cold and IT rubbed it over the wounds on his back. Willie squirmed beneath Its touch but it put Its hand around the back of his neck and squeezed tightly. "Sit STILL!" It growled at him.

Willie lay there wishing this would end.

Barnabas pulled a light sheet up over his back and then placed a warmer blanket over that. It threw more wood on the fire, making it roar in the small room, and Willie was glad for the added warmth.

It grabbed the basin of water and the blood soaked towels and left the room. Once it was gone Willie lost control of his emotions and began to sob hard into the pillow, pain raging through his back with each breath. His only comfort was knowing she was okay, he had managed to spare her one more time from the Thing.


	11. Chapter 11 - The Note

**The Note**

The room was uncharacteristically bright and the sun was beaming through the small window above his bed. It was fiercely quiet and the fire was nearly out but despite that fact it was abnormally warm in the room. Willie slowly opened his swollen eyes and lay perfectly still afraid to move for fear of enraging the torn ribbons of flesh that covered his back. He stared at the glowing embers in the fireplace and wondered what time it was, clearly it was morning and he hoped that Abigail would respect his request and stay away.

His arms were aching and cautiously he tried to move them from above his head down to his sides. Pain rang through his back, he could feel his own heartbeat in each of the wounds and he felt like he was on fire. He tried to shift into any position that might give him an ounce of relief but he found none. He groaned in pain as he shifted his legs to one side and closed his eyes trying to fall asleep again.

* * *

The alarm rang and she was still staring at the ceiling. She ran through a long checklist of things she had to do today, none of which included heading to the old house. She promised to stay away today and she would stand by her word, even though her worry for Willie was overwhelming.

She was getting dressed when there was a knock on the door and her stomach dropped fearing that it might be Nick. She held her breadth as she looked out the peep hole; a huge sigh of relief escaped her when she found Alex standing there. She forgot he was coming to take her for coffee.

Alex stood in the doorway and when she opened the door he started to ramble.

"Abbs… please.. don't be mad. I'm sorry I let him in..." Alex looked around the apartment finally taking in the room. "…WHOA! Holy Shit! Look at all these flowers! Oh Abbs…God I just felt bad for the guy, but I didn't realize he was an ass hole. I'm sorry I really am. Do ya want your key back?"

Abigail reached around him and hugged him.

"I can't stay mad at you. Just please don't let anyone in again okay? I left him ya know? And he can be really intense…and I don't love him. Shit…I really don't even like him."

Alex looked around the apartment. "He sure did waste a shit ton of money of flowers though."

Abigail grunted and then finished getting ready. They headed over to the coffee shop which was a short walk from her apartment, but as they walked she searched the streets in the remote chance that she might see Willie. She remembered him saying he needed to go out this morning.

The air was freezing and when the diner door opened a puff of hot air that smelled of fresh baked bread and bacon hit them. They tucked into a corner booth and she made sure to sit where she could see out the window.

"So…what are you going to do?" Alex asked stirring his coffee.

"I don't know…I think I'll meet him for dinner and just end this once and for all. I guess I owe him that much."

"What happened with him? I thought you guys were good?" Alex was genuinely curious. He had only met him a few times but the they seemed happy together when he saw them.

"I don't know. I never really loved him I guess. I know that now. He was convenient and everyone thought he was great, but he never really knew me. I want to be with someone who wants to know my flaws and loves me in spite of them. He never allowed flaws…it was exhausting pretending to be perfect." She sat quiet for a minute sipping her coffee.

"He was different somehow though when I saw him here. He almost seemed violent and he has never pushed me or touched me that way. I know he was drinking but there was a minute where I was sure he was going to hit me. He frightened me...that's why I don't really want to do dinner."

"I'm sorry Abbs. I wished it would have worked out for you. But if you ever need someone to pummel him I'm your man." They both grinned and toasted their coffees to the thought of it.

"So where is he takin' ya?"

"Ugh… The Maple Leaf"

Alex rolled his eyes at her... "Hate that place. Just be careful with him. Drive yourself so you can leave whenever you want. "

She stared out the window thinking about going to dinner with him; maybe she would just cancel…or not show up at all.

* * *

Willie began to wake again and his sense of time was nonexistent. He knew two things, he was in a hellish amount of pain and he was dreadfully cold; the fire in his room was completely out. He slowly attempted to stand up and peeled the sheet from his back. He walked to the mirror hanging over his dresser to assess the damage that IT had done. It was difficult to get a full view, twisting in the mirror was painful, but what he could see made him sick. He was badly bruised and there were welts that crossed his back. There were also several lashes that cut deeper into his skin and were bleeding. He had no idea what It used to deliver the punishment, but it definitely did its job.

Willie headed downstairs and he was extremely thirsty and couldn't bear to sit in his room for the entire day. He managed to get himself down the stairs but as he looked around he quickly realized there was no comfortable place to sit. He decided to grab the pot and fill it with water. He grabbed a mug and several tea packets and reluctantly headed back to his room, at least he had a comfortable chair and bed in there.

It took a great deal of effort for Willie to build a fire in the fireplace next to his bed, but once it was lit the warmth seemed to make him a little more comfortable. He placed the pot over the flames and gingerly wrapped a blanket around his body and sat in the chair waiting for the water to heat up.

It was difficult for him to have a single thought that wasn't interrupted by flashes of the night. He looked down at his wrists and the red circles marked where the cuffs clamped down on him. They were almost perfect circles, like someone drew them on.

He grabbed the mug, scooped a cup of water out and dropped the tea bag in. It actually smelled good to him and he was surprised; most smells he found unpleasant.

He started to warm up, the hot liquid warming his insides as he drank it. Once finished he placed the pot of water on the hearth and climbed back into bed. The pain continued to spread through his back, but he felt warm for the first time. He lay down on his stomach once again and managed to fall back asleep.

* * *

Abigail stared into her closet. The restaurant was a higher class place and her usual jeans and sweater wouldn't do. She pulled out several dresses trying to find one that was understated and plain and finally settled on the blue dress that was completely boring and she even felt that it looked a bit unflattering on her. She was doing her best to look as underwhelming and commonplace as possible.

The drive to the restaurant was beautiful, a long private driveway led through the woods and opened up on a large log cabin like structure that sat on the shoreline of a private lake. Flood lights shined on the stained glass windows and delicate maple leaves were carved into the wooden beams that made up the entryway of the restaurant. Even she admitted it was a beautiful place, but the atmosphere was pretentious and made her uncomfortable.

She saw him immediately when she walked through the doors, handsome as ever. He was sitting at a corner table right next to the window that had a beautiful view of the sunset. She walked over and he stood up and immediately pulled her into a much unwanted embrace.

Politely she pulled back and sat down at the table and an uneasy silence filled the space between them.

"Nick…you deserved more than a note." She spoke first. "I didn't want to face you, I was wrong. I should have told you in person. I regret the note."

"It broke my heart Abby. I was devastated."

"I'm so sorry…but it doesn't change the way I feel. I'm not in love with you Nick, you deserve someone who loves you."

Nick raised his eyes to meet hers, they were cold and fierce. "I waited for you to come back. I found out from your uncle where you were. You belong to me Abby. I won't let you go."

The waiter came and she was thankful for the interruption. They both ordered a drink.

"I don't belong to anyone. We aren't meant to be together. You need to move on Nick and so do I."

"Move on so you can be with that prick from the bar?"

"NO! no…" She was shaking her head and again started to worry about Willie.

"I won't let him have you."

"Dinner was a bad idea." She mumbled. "I'm going to go." She reached into her purse and pulled out money and laid it down on the table. "Here…I'm sorry but I shouldn't have come here." She didn't want to sit through an entire dinner like this. She said all she cared to say and it was clearly going nowhere.

Nick opened his wallet and pulled out money as well. He stood up from the table and helped her get her coat on. "Your right Abigail, dinner was a terrible idea. I'll walk you out." He pulled on his jacket and then reached down and pulled out a large box that she hadn't noticed before and tucked it under one arm.

He held her arm with his free one as they walked out of the restaurant. She couldn't get into her car fast enough. She hoped that this was the end of it, but wondered what was in the box.

As they walked out he gripped her arm tighter.

"Nick...please your hurting me"

He gripped even tighter and walked her over to the side of her car. He dropped the box to the ground and reached into his pocket and grabbed something out and pressed it hard over her mouth and nose. The smell was cloyingly sweet and she almost instantly felt dizzy and her hands and feet went numb. She fought against him but couldn't break his grip, and slowly she slipped into darkness.

* * *

Night closed in and Willie was lying in his bed dozing in and out when he caught a shadow in the corner of the room.

"Willie…are you awake?" Barnabas' tone was civil, almost human towards him.

"Y-yes" Willie answered and started to push himself to sit up.

"Stay. Lie back down."

Willie followed Its instructions and lay back down on the bed. It pulled down the blankets and looked at Willie's back and then left the room. Barnabas returned with a bowl of water, Willie wasn't sure what it was really, but it had an odd smell to it, and Barnabas again began to clean the wounds on his back.

Willie couldn't stand being touched by It and he was terribly confused at the care in which the Vampire was taking with him, with the very wounds that It inflicted upon him.

Barnabas pulled out a large white pad and placed it over his back, taping it down against his skin. "Leave this there tomorrow. You need to keep the wounds covered. You may sit up."

Willie pushed himself up, the pain still fresh, and grabbed a t-shirt that was hanging over the bed post and pulled it on.

"Can you make it down stairs?"

"Y-Yes." Willie stood up trying to hide the pain that radiated through his back and followed It out of his room and down the stairs to the great room.

"If you are well enough tomorrow I need you to deliver this to Ms. Chilton." It handed Willie a large envelope. "She requires these for the restoration work."

"O-ok. Fine." Willie didn't argue. He would do as he was told. Barnabas had made his point and it was true, knowing those were up there in the attic definitely gave him new incentive to just do as he was told.

"Go back to bed Willie. I know you are in a terrible amount of pain. Just remember it next time you decide to disobey me." Barnabas turned and stared out the front window.

Willie returned back to his room and set the envelope down on his dresser. He put more wood in the fireplace and climbed back into bed. He lay there quietly, the silence of the house swallowing him. He could almost hear his heartbeat and as each beat came it created a pulse of pain. He tried to find something pleasant to think about but nothing came. Eventually he drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Abigail awoke, her head pounding and she felt nauseated. Her vision was blurry but she could make out that she was in her room, lying on her bed. She tried to move but she couldn't pull her arms from behind her back and her feet could not be separated.

She began to panic and tried to pull herself from the bed.

"Calm down baby…relax. I have ya, I'm right here…" Nick lay beside her in bed, his arm wrapped around her tightly. She tried to speak but nothing came out. Her hands and feet were bound and her mouth was taped shut. She started to whimper and tears began pool in her eyes as she struggled to get away.

"Abby! Please ! Lay still." He stroked her hair and with his arm drew her closer to him. "I don't want to hurt you Abby, so don't make me. We are getting married today, you need your rest." The sun was just starting to peek into the windows of her apartment and her thoughts were spinning out of control. She could feel her heart start racing as he held her tight; she couldn't move. She laid there sobbing in terror and sickened by his touch.

Nick looked at his watch and it was almost eight. "Obviously you are not going to go back to bed." He spoke to her quietly and then stood up from the bed. She stared at him as he walked around to her side of the bed. He reached down and scooped her up and brought her into the living room, placing her on the chair in the corner of the room.

"Breakfast?" He asked her as he went into the kitchen. He began to cook as she watched him in disbelief. She looked around the room and then noticed her wedding dress hanging on the back of the closet and she instantly knew what was in the box.

Nick finished breakfast and in the most normal way cleaned up the kitchen and put everything away. Abigail continued to sit on the chair, struggling to get loose.

Both Nick and Abigail jumped as a soft, unexpected knock came from the door.

She stared at the door, _Alex…oh no…oh please…_

A second knock came… this one louder and Nick walked to the door and looked through the peep hole. He turned and looked at Abby and flashed a devilish grin.

* * *

Morning came and Willie awoke early. He was still in terrible pain and the stiffness was worse. He had a job to do however and he began to get himself together as if it were any other morning.

He pulled his jacket on and made sure all the doors were locked including the door to the basement. He headed to his truck and made his way to her house, stopping only to grab a couple of coffees. It seemed to be their ritual.

Willie walked up to her door and knocked but no one came to answer. Willie knocked a second time and heard her coming to the door. When the door opened a man reached out and grabbed Willie by the coat, pulled him through the door and slammed him against the wall, the coffees dropping to the ground and spilling into the carpet.

Willie's back erupted in pain as the wounds ripped open. He looked around the room and then his eyes met hers and his heart stopped. She was huddled on the chair in the corner of the room, her hands bound behind her and her feet bound together, tape silenced her mouth. She stared at him and tried to yell.

"Jesus Abby!" Willie turned to go to her then felt something hard and cold against the base of his head.

"Drop to your knees ya little shit." Willie stood frozen looking at her with confusion in his eyes. "Get on your knees or I'll blow your fucking head off!"

Willie reluctantly dropped to his knees, never breaking his stare from hers and she started to cry.

"Isn't this just perfect…just the three of us on our wedding night. Do you know who I am? Huh?" Nick poked the gun harder into the back of Willie's head. "ANSWER ME!"

"N-n-no..no…I-I don't …" Willie answered.

"I'm the one she was supposed to marry today but instead she left me for you. FOR YOU! What a joke. Look at ya!"

_Left you for me? What the hell is he talking about? _Willie broke his stare with her and glanced around the room. A wedding dress was hanging on the closet door and flowers filled the room. _Shit…SHIT! Awe..Abby…_ He looked back at her.

"Are you okay?" His eyes were searing with concern as Abigail shook her head yes but she continued to cry. She was utterly petrified for him.

"What's your name huh? Ya know what… I don't give a shit what your name is. Put your hands behind your back. Do it! NOW!" Abigail watched in horror and Willie did as he was told. He put his hands behind his back and again the wounds screamed at him causing him to wince in horrible pain. Abigail noticed the pain in his face. It reminded her of the expression he had that first day she saw him through the window. She knew he was hurt and her stomach felt sick. Willie's words rang in her head…_He's gonna kill me._ The thought that Barnabas may have hurt him crossed her mind, but only for a second, as she watched Nick tie Willie's hands.

"You can watch us get married. Seems appropriate don't you think?" Nick was ranting at him as he bound Willies hands behind his back. "I saw ya at the bar with her, she's mine you understand? MINE!"

"You don't want to do this…you…you don't know what you're doing…" Willie was pleading with him. It was almost ten in the morning and Willie knew if he was still alive by night fall Barnabas would come looking for him. Barnabas was cruel, a monster, and very protective of his possessions, Willie being one of them. Willie knew that this was sealing the mans fate. He was as good as dead. The monster would come for the man whether he lived or not.

"Shut up! You know… I wondered why she left just a note." The piece of the puzzle confirmed for Willie exactly who this man was. "I wondered what the real reason was… and it turns out it's you. YOU!" Nick bound his feet and silenced Willie with the tape as well. He then grabbed Willie by the arms and dragged him across the floor so Willie's back was against the couch. The pain in Willie's back pushing him close to nausea.

"You're so pathetic. How could you leave me for this?" Nick was walking towards Abby, waving the gun in Willie's direction.

"Look at him! He looks like he's gonna cry! You don't even like blondes? I should just kill ya right now." Nick lunged towards Willie pulling the gun up and aiming it at Willie's forehead. Abigail let out muffled screams and tears rolled uncontrollably down her face.

Willie's pale blue eyes grew wide and he was shaking his head as Nick pressed the gun hard into his forehead. Willie let out a muffled sob and squeezed his eyes shut bracing himself. _No…oh God no NO! _


	12. Chapter 12 - Captive

**Captive**

Nick pulled the gun from his forehead and yelled out a frustrated groan as Willie let out a soft sob of relief. Nick then looked down and studied Willie for a brief moment before he pulled his arm back and brought the handle of the gun down violently into the side of Willie's face, knocking Willie to his side, his head hitting the floor.

Abigail's eyes were glued to Willie and he wasn't moving, she tried to move off the chair to reach him and managed to get herself to the floor before Nick pulled her away.

"All I wanted was to get married and have you as my own. I love you Abigail." Nick bent down next to her and brushed the hair away from her face. "I love you and I know you could love me." Nick then reached down and stripped the tape from over her mouth.

"Nick…please. Let's just go. You and me. We can leave. I won't run… just untie me…we can leave him here and when he wakes up we'll be long gone."

Nick sat down on the floor across from her, scratching his head with the barrel of the gun and shaking his head. "You don't mean it." Nick started to cry as Abigail twisted at her wrists trying to get them undone. "You LOVE HIM! I can see it Abigail. The way you looked at him at the bar the other night…you never looked at me that way."

Abigail kept a close eye behind Nick on Willie praying that she would see him move, even just a little.

"As long as he is around he will always be in your thoughts Abigail." Nick's voice was rising and he stood back up and walked towards Willie pointing the gun down at him.

"No… NO! I'm not in love with him…I'm not with him at all! Nick you have this all wrong." Abigail managed to get up to her knees and was pleading with him. "Nick…he is just the handyman at the house I'm working on…that's it! I swear… please…He just drove me home that night! There is nothing between us. Please! Let's go…we can leave right now."

Nick turned to her and reached for the tape, he was sick of listening to her. "Bullshit! I saw him look at you too…God a fool could tell he has feelings for you."

"No…No! … Nick please! Just you and me…the two of us." Nick reached down and pulled her up to his face and then kissed her hard before he sealed her mouth once again.

"I need to go out, I have a few things I need to prepare for our trip." Nick spoke in a quiet voice and then pulled Abigail across the floor and tightened her wrists tighter fastening them to the cast iron radiator. "That will keep you from crawling over there. I'll be back Abigail. If you try anything I'll kill him."

Nick took his foot and shoved it into Willie's hip, pushing him closer to the couch; there was no response. He reached down and pulled Willie's arms back and fastened them to the large claw foot of the couch.

Nick grabbed her keys and looked in the mirror hanging over the couch, running his hands through his hair and straightening his tie.

"Behave Abby." With those words he walked out the door and locked it.

Abigail instantly started to pull at her arms trying to get loose. Nick had tightened them so tight that her hands were starting to go numb. She was beginning to shake from frustration and was straining to get loose. She was losing control and started to fall to pieces. She stared at Willie lying on the ground. _Oh Willie please…please wake up…Please! I'm so sorry..._ She began to sob knowing that this was her fault, she put in him danger by not being honest with Nick. She was a coward. She thought it would be easier if Nick thought there was someone else. It was an easy excuse and one that might get Willie killed.

* * *

Willie had a terrible pain rush through his back and struggled to get his eyes open. Several times he tried to lift his lids and everything was foggy. It took him several minutes before he regained control of his movements and the more aware he became the more the pain seared through him. He tried to lift his head and could feel his skin stick to the carpet, noticing blood stained beneath his cheek. He quickly looked over at the chair and his heart stopped when he didn't see her. He pulled himself to a sitting position, suddenly aware that his arms were now tethered tighter down to the couch. His eyes explored the rest of the room and he was relieved to find her in the opposite corner.

She was staring at him and crying, relieved that he was moving. He looked around the apartment for Nick, but didn't see him anywhere. _Did he leave? He couldn't have left. _

Willie struggled until he was exhausted from trying to get free. The aggravation building in his body, he was breathing hard, pulling relentlessly against the binds that refused to give. Eventually he stopped and caught her eye. The two of them just stared at each other from across the room, his eyes trying to tell her everything would be okay, but he didn't fully believe it. He didn't see this coming, he knew his life had turned into one nightmare after another, but this scenario was not something he could have imagined. It was almost 1:00 in the afternoon and he figured that he must have been unconscious for quite a while. He felt sick thinking about what Nick might have done with her during that time.

Willie knew that this would end in one of two ways, he would get himself free or this crazed man would kill him and kill or abduct her. Even if they made it to nightfall Barnabas would be helpless to rescue them. He would need to be invited in and Willie was fairly certain that Nick would not extend an invitation.

It was the sound of the telephone that broke the trance between them. It seemed to ring forever before silence filled the room, but only for a short time. The phone then began to ring again, filling the small apartment with the noise.

* * *

Alex was standing at the payphone in the diner. He hadn't heard from Abby today and he was certain that she would have called him this morning to tell him how last night went. He was surprised that she didn't call him when she got home last night. He thought about what she had said and the fact that Nick had scared her with his behavior; Alex was worried.

He dropped another coin into the phone and dialed again, but still no answer, he must have let it ring 20 times. Plenty of time for her to get to it.

He walked back up to the counter and dropped several dollars on the counter.

"Hey… haven't seen Abbs in here today have ya?" He asked the shapeless waitress behind the counter.

"Nope…only person in here that ya might be interested in was Loomis. I know they were seen together at the blue whale a while ago. He stopped in for a couple of coffees to go."

Nick didn't like the idea of Willie hanging around her, but he didn't think the guy was a threat, and Abigail seemed to like him genuinely. He didn't like it but he respected it.

Even so he was worried. "Thanks." Alex grabbed his coat and headed out the door and walked around the corner to her apartment. There he saw Willie's truck parked on the side street and her car parked behind it. He decided to pay them a little visit.

* * *

They both sat on the floor holding their breath as they heard someone knock on the door.

"Abbs…Hey you there? Hey it's Alex!" Alex was knocking again, harder this time. "Come on Abbs…I know you guys are in there."

Willie and Abigail both began to struggle and tried to yell for him. They held their breath as a key turned in the lock of the door.

Alex walked into the apartment and his eyes first saw Willie on the ground. "Jesus Loomis! What the fuck?" He then turned and saw her and ran to her.

"What the hell is going on in here? Shit! God are you okay?" Alex pulled the tape from her mouth and then instantly started to untie her from the radiator.

"Oh Alex…please hurry. HURRY! He'll be back here any minute. Oh please… PLEASE!"

"What is going on? He?.. Nick? Nick did this to you ? I'll fucking kill him. What the hell is Loomis doing here?" Alex turned to look at Willie. "God Loomis you look like hell!"

"He's got a gun Alex. He's going to kill him."

Alex turned and knelt down next to Willie, trying to get Willie unbound when suddenly they heard a voice from the open doorway.

"Get the fuck away from him." Nick grabbed Abigail and stuck the gun at her side. Back away from him or I'll kill them both."

Willie tried to yell something but was he was still muted.

Alex turned around furious. "I'll kill ya. You are as good as dead." Willie thought about that and knew Alex was right, one way or another Nick was as good as dead.

Abigail managed to slip from Nicks grip and slide away as Alex lunged towards him. A shot rang out in the apartment as they struggled for the gun, and then another. Alex slid to the floor and Nick grabbed Abigail's hair as she tried to pass him.

"Alex! No! NO!"

Willie watched helplessly as Alex lay there on the ground. _Son of a Bitch… BASTARD!_

Abigail turned to Nick and began to push at him and throw punches into his body, yelling and crying all mixed into one sorrowful sound. Nick reached his empty hand back and hit her across the face, tossing her to the ground.

_No…Don't TOUCH HER! OH ABBY! _Willie started to pull again to get free. If he did find a way loose he was going to kill this man.

Abigail sat on the ground and crawled over to Alex, he was bleeding and unconscious.

Nick looked at her and yelled. "Back away from him. Don't do anything stupid Abby." Nick leaned down and dragged Alex's body down the hallway into the back bedroom.

Abigail quickly went to Willie's side and dropped down to her knees looking at him. "I'm so sorry…please forgive me." She ran her hand through his hair and wiped the blood from his cheek with her hand. She knew she only had a second before Nick came back. Her touch instantly caused tears to well up in Willie's eyes and they spilled out and down his cheeks.

Nick came back into the room and watched her for only a moment before he pulled her away from Willie by her hair and stood her against the wall.

"You like her don't ya…I know ya do!" Nick then pulled Abigail close to him as she tried to fight him off. He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her again hard as she struggled. "This is all mine ya know… Every inch of her."

"Abigail it's time for you to get ready." Nick took the dress down from the closet and handed it to her.

"Wh-Where are we going?"

Nick picked her up and walked into one of the bedrooms and shut the door. He dropped her on her bed and threw the dress at her.

"Nick… please…please! let him go… I'm not with him, we're just friends. I never even knew him before I moved here. Please…just let him go. We can get married.. today! NOW! Please just let him go…" Abigail was begging and pleading with him.

"Get dressed…It's time…If you do anything other than what I say I will blow his head off. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes…I understand" Abigail's fear for Willie intensified.

* * *

Willie pulled at his arms and found that he had more movement than before. Alex managed to loosen them before Nick came into the room. He tugged with force and was able to slip one of his hands out from the sleeve of his jacket. He shook and twisted to squirm out of the coat sleeve and managed to get his hand free. Willie reached around and pulled the ropes from his other hand and slid off his jacket. He then tore the tape from his mouth and quickly undid his legs.

Willie searched the kitchen looking for anything he could use as a weapon. He didn't find anything heavy enough and thought about going through the cupboards but didn't want to make any noise.

In the corner of the room something caught his eye. A big red bow and a note tied around a baseball bat that read "Merry Christmas Alex! Your Cuz Abbs". Willie quickly ripped the bow off and picked it up. In a brave and admittedly stupid move he looked down the hall and saw the bedroom that Alex was dragged into. Willie quietly entered the room to find Alex now conscious but bleeding badly. Alex looked up at Willie trying to say something but Willie quieted him.

"Hold on Alex… just hold on…" Willie grabbed a pillow case from the bed and pressed it into Alex wound. He pulled Alex's hand up and pressed it hard. "Hold this here…push as hard as you can."

Alex nodded and as Willie walked away Alex was confused to find the back of Willies shirt soaked in spots red with blood.

* * *

"My God you look beautiful Abby. That dress was made for you." Nick stood with the gun up against his lip as he gazed at her. She felt sick.

"Nick…let's just go. You and me. We can just walk out. We can leave them here. We can sneak out the fire escape and just disappear. Just you and me..." Abigail was praying he would just go with her and leave Willie safe and hoping that Alex would be okay.

"Baby…we can't leave him. I'll get rid of him and we can go. We can't leave him, it's too risky you know that baby. You really mean it? You want me?"

Abigail was trying to understand who this person was in front of her. She was with him for two years and although he was overprotective and sometimes controlling he showed no signs of this. He seemed completely psychotic, and she could not figure out how she didn't see this.

"Go on baby, let's show that little shit how beautiful you are and what he won't be getting." Nick gestured for her to move out the door and back down the hallway. She didn't want to go but he pushed the gun into her back and she reluctantly walked out, holding back her fear and tears.

As she began to enter the living room she saw his jacket lying there on the ground and felt like the floor had dropped out from under her.

* * *

Willie could hear them talking from the bathroom and wanted to run to her as he heard her try and convince Nick to leave with her out the window just to spare his life. He waited until he heard the door slowly open. Abigail walked out first and he thought for a split moment that she looked breathtaking, but the thought was quickly squashed when Nick followed her.

Willie walked out of the bathroom quietly and in one swift movement he brought the baseball bat down heavily into Nick's knees.

Nick fell to the ground and hit his head hard against corner of the end table. Before he had a time to react Willie hit him a second time in the rib cage. A memory of Barnabas hitting him in the side flashed through his mind.

Willie hit him one more time in the side and bent down and grabbed the gun from his hand. Nick lost consciousness from the blow he took to the head when he fell.

Abigail watched Willie as he took Nick down. She was in awe, speechless and scared. As soon as Nick fell unconsciousness she looked at Willie and lunged at him, hugging him fiercely and sobbing as she spoke. "Oh thank God you're okay…Oh Willie…"

Willie pulled her away and grabbed her head in his hands tenderly. His fierce blue eyes now penetrating deep into hers. "Are you okay?" She nodded, still sobbing. "Abby…go next door and call the police, quickly okay? I'll get Alex."

Willie turned to go down the hall and Abby looked at his back, his shirt stained in blood. "Willie!" She ran up to him not thinking and stopped him, pulling his shirt up. "Willie!" She gasped when she saw the marks across his back.

Willie quickly turned, she caught him off guard. _Shit. _"Abby please…" Willie was tugging his shirt back down. "Please Abby… go call the police. Please!" Willie walked her out the door and knocked on the neighbors door.

"Willie…y-your back."

"It's nothing." Willie knocked on the door and no one came. "Go to the next apartment Abby…Call the police and an ambulance…quickly before Alex runs out of time!"

This seemed to break through to her and she bolted down the hallway, scooping up her wedding dress as she ran.

* * *

Willie passed Nick and entered the back bedroom to find Alex still lying there pressing down as best he could against the wound in his chest. "Alex, we need to get out of here. I'm going to move you ok?" Alex nodded yes and Willie reached beneath his arms and dragged him from the apartment and down to the end of the hallway near the second story landing.

A flurry of men dressed in blue began do ascend the staircase. "Ambulance! We need an Ambulance quickly!" Willie was yelling. One of the men ran back down and the rest burst into the apartment. Abigail dropped down next to Alex.

"Y-you'll be okay… you will… just hold on okay?"

The paramedics came running up the stairs and quickly tended to Alex as more officers entered the apartment.

It was chaos.

* * *

Willie sat with Abigail on the front stairs of the apartment building, he was holding and rocking her brushing the hair from her face. They sat there in silence until one of the officers approached them.

"Ms. Chilton… I'm sorry but we didn't find him anywhere up there." A chubby police officer was standing there talking to her, he must have been the one in charge. "We searched but we didn't see him. You'll need to come to the station with us to file a report.

Abigail sat there and bile rose into her throat at the words.

"Willie…" the officer addressed him with disappointment. "You'll need to come too…"

"Officer he's hurt. She gestured at Willie and grabbed his hand, but he pulled it away."

"No…it's nothing. I'm fine."

"His back. He is bleeding." She looked at Willie pleading with him to have it looked at.

"I said it's fine! Can I please go back up and get my coat, and some clothes for Ms. Chilton." The officer nodded, just another mistake in a long list of them that were probably made that night trying to apprehend Nick. _How the hell did they loose him?_

Willie returned, now with his coat on and with a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a sweater for her. "Can she use your apartment to change?" Willie was addressing one of the onlookers from an apartment on the first floor.

Abigail returned and Willie stretched out his hand to her and she took it. Looking at the police Willie stood up and began to walk to the truck.

Willie had gotten into plenty of trouble with the bumbling police department of Collinsport. But right now he didn't want to leave her alone, he would stay with her whatever the consequence. It was close to four, night was coming soon, and he wondered what Barnabas would do with him when It found out.

As they drove to the police station she held his hand and traced the circles around his wrist. Willie tried to pull it away but she held on tight.

"Willie… what happened? Did he do this to you?" She noticed a second ring on his other hand where the sleeve was pulling up and a bitter taste entered her mouth. "He did this…"

"Abigail please…it's been a long day for you. Please it's nothing."

He looked at her and his face softened as he looked at her. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you in any way did he?"

"No…Willie…" she sighed hard…"Willie…you saved my life." She scooted close to him in the cab of the truck and tucked herself under his arm. She was shaking. Willie pulled her close, his heart breaking knowing that this would never be, not for real. They could never be. He pulled the sorrow and emotions he felt back and buried them deep within himself. This was the worst kind of torture he could think of and his insides were twisting knowing that she was so close and utterly impossible.


	13. Chapter 13 - Realization

Willie sat on one end of the police station while Abigail was sitting at the other. Willie explained what had happened twenty times if he explained it once. Over and over they asked him to recount the day, each time pressuring him to take some fault in the activities.

"I-I told ya everythin' I know. You can keep askin but it won't change my answer. I don't know what you want me to say. Is this really necessary? I came here willingly…I didn't do anything wrong." Willie yanked up his arm that was hand cuffed to the desk and he was getting visibly frustrated. It was 5:30 and at this time of year the sun had already set.

The lanky officer sat on the other side of the desk twisting a toothpick between his teeth and playing with the handcuff key.

He leaned in closer to Willie, "Ya know Loomis, you've given us a lot of trouble in the past, forgive me for not trusting ya. Now…tell me again what happened."

* * *

"Ms. Chilton please…is there anything we can get you?" The officer was sitting on the edge of his desk and was a little too close for her taste.

"No…please can we just go? We have answered all your questions. Why aren't you out looking for Nick? He's still out there!" She started to raise her voice. "He's out there and he tried to kill us and you are HERE instead of out looking for him!"

Willie looked over to her and stood up to walk over when his hand was jerked back to the desk. Abby walked over to him and stood infuriated at the sight of the cuff around Willie's wrist.

"What the fuck?! Take that off him… take it off him NOW! He didn't do anything, he was almost killed! He saved my fucking life! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Everyone in the room quieted when a dark shadow was cast across the floor and Barnabas Collins stood in the door way, cloaked in black; cane in hand. A strange quiet came over the room.

"I heard there was a problem while I was away. I would like to help in any way that I can."

The officer that had been questioning Abigail nervously approached Barnabas. Willie thought to himself _Even the police are nervous around him. They should be._

The situation was explained, Abigail jumping in and correcting several of the police's so called facts.

"And why is my employee shackled to this desk? Did he do something?" The skinny police officer stood up and walked up to Barnabas pushing his chest out trying to look assertive as he spoke.

"Loomis ain't no good…don't trust him. He's got a record here."

Barnabas reached slightly down and ripped the toothpick from the young man's mouth and snapped it with his fingers.`

"Release him. NOW!" Willie could see his eyes flash black. The vampire's blood was getting heated and the officer stood back and released Willie from the desk without uttering a word.

"I trust that you will be out looking for this Nick person. Ms. Chilton where will you be staying? I don't think it is safe for you to return to your apartment." Barnabas was a demanding figure to be reckoned with.

"I – jeeze I didn't think about it…I-suppose I can go to my uncles." Abigail looked at Willie as she answered.

Barnabas knew of her uncle, he knew him well and the fact that he spent the majority of his waking hours drowning at the Blue Whale. "Nonsense…you will stay with me, it will be safe there. Willie will retrieve some things for you from your apartment."

"Officer, I assume that it is not too much trouble to drive Abigail and myself to my home."

The officer agreed without hesitation.

"And Willie…you will go retrieve some items for Ms. Chilton and return immediately to the house."

"Y-yes Barnabas." Willie was extremely uncomfortable with her spending time with Barnabas alone.

* * *

Barnabas walked Abigail up to the house.

"I want to thank you again for extending your home to me." She was greatful to stay there, but she did wonder where exactly she would sleep, to her knowledge there were only two bedrooms in any condition to sleep in, one of which was in the forbidden zone in the basement.

"You will stay in Willie's room. I hope that will suit you." She looked at It and was taken of guard, it was as if he had read her mind.

"Of course, and Willie? He will have a place?"

"Yes, there is an extra room in the basement that has a small bed in it. It will suit him just fine."

"There is something I need to take care of Ms. Chilton, please make yourself at home." With that Barnabas disappeared into the kitchen.

Abigail looked around the great room, the house had a strange feeling to it at night. She grabbed one of the candles on the desk and walked up stairs to Willies room…but she didn't go in. Instead she continued to walk to the end of the hall and stood on the landing of the second floor back staircase. She looked up at the attic and curiosity got the best of her. She climbed up the stairs to the attic and twisted the door knob, disappointed to find it locked.

"Ms. Chilton…" Abigail jumped and spun around almost losing her footing on the staircase. "Are you lost?" Barnabas stood at the bottom of the stairs, the candelabra he was holding cast a strange glow across his face.

"Oh.. Mr. Collins… you scared me half to death… I am sorry to be here... I guesss I am terribly curious about the attic."

"And why is that Ms. Chilton."

"The attic is the brain of houses like this. It contains all of the memories of times past. You know people often say 'if the walls could talk' … all they need to do is go into the attic." Abigail started to descend the stairs. "If you think about it… all the items that have gotten too old, or broken... the old decorations…the old clothes…things that would otherwise be considered trash are placed in the attic. You know whay? ... It's because the owner of these items could not bear to part with them, they were too important... It is the place where the history of the home is hidden. It's locked away in trunks and boxes, pushed into corners and piled in layers. It is in some ways a memorial to the lives and traditions that have long since been abandoned."

Barnabas looked at her inquisitively. Her answer somehow made perfect sense and he had never really thought of it in that way. He was impressed and he now wanted to see her reaction as she explored the space.

"You are most intuitive Ms. Chilton. Come…I will show you."

* * *

Willie drove with haste trying to get to her apartment and back to the old house. He pulled up in front of the building and wasted no time running up to apartment. There were still officers in the room and he didn't even think they noticed him enter.

Willie entered her room and found a small suitcase in the closet. He filled it with the things he thought she would need and then walked back into the living room where an officer nodded his head to him acknowledging his presence. Willie saw the large fluffy blanket lying on the couch and he grabbed it. There were no blankets like that at the old house, she would need something warmer.

He ran back down to his truck and wasted no time driving back to the old house.

* * *

Barnabas opened the door to the attic and they both entered, a puff of cold air rushed out of the room and gave Abigail the chills.

Barnabas lit a few of the oil lamps and Abigail stood in the doorway taking in her first view of the mysterious room. She walked in further and stared at the beams in the room. Her mind was running at warp speed as she processed what she saw in front of her.

"A-are these what I think they are?" She was shocked and a bit alarmed.

"Yes. Eight in all. Something my ancestors built into the home." It watched her face grimace as she inspected one of the posts. The vampire knew she had her suspicions. It also knew that she loved his servant and fact bothered him. She ran her finger around one of the metal cuffs, the edges were sharp, and then images of Willie's wrists flashed into her mind. _No…God no no…oh Willie NO!_

Abigail stood and looked down at the ground, blood stained the floor boards. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath to control her outrage.

"Mr. Collins, so far this attic definitely reveals secrets of this old house." She needed to get away from the posts or she would lose her control. "What is in the corner over here?" She tried to pretend she was interested in other things.

Barnabas walked to the far end and lit several of the other oil lamps. In one corner sat several large trunks.

"May I?" she asked gesturing at one of the trunks.

"Of course."

She opened one of the trunks and a pungent smell came out, a sweet, musty and oddly garbage like smell; it was unpleasant. She reached in and pulled out one of the garments. A dress that was yellowed and decaying where the lace was attached.

"Clothing…" She muttered to herself.

She closed the trunk and looked further around the attic.

In the other corner there was furniture stacked and stacked papers, it would take several days to go through all of the things up there to really get a good judgement.

"I would like to take some time up here if you would not mind Mr. Collins." She was proud of herself for maintaining her composure, but she needed to get out of there.

"Of course Ms. Chilton."

It blew out the oil lamps and they descended down the stairs.

"Mr. Collins if you wouldn't mind I would like to go to Willie's room and rest for a bit. It has been a terribly long day and I must admit I am a bit shaken from it."

"Yes please, you must be exhausted. I will send Willie up with your things when he arrives."

Abigail entered Willies room and closed the door. She sat down on his bed and picked up a sweater of his that was lying on the bottom of it. She pulled it up to her face, breathing in his smell and instantly began to cry.

* * *

Willie walked through the door and Barnabas was there waiting for him.

"Are you okay?" The vampire asked almost humanely.

"Y-Yes…"

"Take the things up to the girl and meet me in the kitchen.

Willie did not hesitate. He walked up the stairs and knocked on his bedroom door. There she stood in one of his t-shirts and a pair of his flannel pants.

"I hope you don't mind." She looked at him intensively.

"N-no .. of course not. Here are your things."

"Thank You. ... Willie?" Willie turned around and looked at her.

She rushed to him and gripped him tightly. "Oh thank you Willie"

His arms remained at his sides, his back was in terrible pain.

"Get some sleep Abby. Don't worry, you're safe here. Just get some sleep."

He walked out of the room but all she wanted was for him to stay with her.

* * *

Willie returned to IT. The vampire was standing in the great room waiting for him.

"Turn around Willie."

Willie turned around and faced the wall, his jaw clenched tight. Barnabas' fingers grazed his lower back and it sent chills up his spine. It gripped his coat and his shirt and undershirt and pulled them up forcefully, the undershirt ripped from the wounds where it had dried against the bloodied wounds, shooting excruciating pain into each ounce of flesh. It then pushed his clothes out of Its hand and grunted in disgust.

"Go to the kitchen Willie and take your shirt off."

Willie knew not to disobey. He entered the kitchen and reluctantly stripped to his bare chest and tossed his clothes on the counter. Barnabas walked up behind him grabbing Willie by the back of his neck and forcing him to bend over the table so that Willies forearms and elbows were flat against the table, his cheek flattened against the hard wood.

"Stay"

Willie dare not move, and waited for It to come back into the room. He wasn't clear what would happen next and Willie thought the worst. When It returned it pulled the hot water from the fire and placed it on the table next to Willies head, he could feel the heat radiating from it. It poured something into the water that had an that familiar odd smell and soaked a towel in the bowl.

Its touch instantly sent chills deep into his spine. Willie lay there, the events of the day spilling out and into the forefront of his thoughts and tears began to run down his cheeks. He didn't understand why the Vampire would care for him, after all many of the wounds were because of It. All he knew was that Its touch was excruciating and he cried as It touched him, he was so confused and totally alone, there was an emptiness that filled him and in this moment he could not control the emotions.

Eventually It finished and let Willie up. "There...I am going out Willie. I will call if I need you."

* * *

The day and night had been more than Willie had bargained fore. It was unusually warm for November and Willie walked out the back door, restless and in desperate need of fresh air. He walked down the path that led to the gardens listening to the snow crunch beneath his feet. Willie pulled at one of the iron benches, leveling it and freeing it of the leafless overgrown vines that entwined it. He sat down and closed his eyes, inhaling the lush aroma of the final days of autumn that mixed in with the woody, smokey smells of the wood burning in the fireplaces of the old house.

"Hey" Her voice was soft "Can I sit?" Abigail had watched him sitting there for a few minutes before she let him know she was there. Watching him when he wasn't aware seemed to be a habit she couldn't break.

Willie scooted over on the bench. "Y-yeah…"

Abigail had the large blanket that Willie brought from her apartment and she draped half of it around Willie and nestled in close to him.

"Why are you out here?" She asked with concern.

"I-I just needed some fresh air is all." Willie responded with a sigh as he looked out across the decaying garden."Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Been a bit of a long day" she said with a touch of sarcasm.

"Yeah..." Willie paused for a few minutes and then spoke again. "Sometimes I…well I think about a time when someone actually cared about this place ya know? So full of life." His voice was so melancholy and Abigail got the sense that it wasn't just the garden he was talking about. She reached her arm around him and tried to hide the fact that she was wiping a tear from her eye.

"It only takes one person to care for something and bring it back to life Willie." She shifted her body over so that she could look at him.

"Abigail…I…It's just that…" Willie paused trying to think of what he could possibly say that would make any sense. "My world is broken Abby. You …you can't fix it…you can't be in it."

Abigail paused for several minutes.

"I was in the attic Willie."

Willie's body went stiff, and then he bent over and dropped his head between his hands, entwining his fingers through his hair.

"I know what's up there."

"No.." Willie muttered under his breath.

"I know what he did to you."

"No..no…" Willie continued to shake his head in his hands.

"I saw him taking care of your wounds in the kitchen Willie."

"Oh God no.."

**A/N: I hope to post one more chapter tonight. A thanksgiving touch :-) Thank you everyone for reading! If I don't post tonight I will in the next day or two. Happy Thanks giving and eat lots of pie :-)**


	14. Chapter 14 - Complications

**Complications**

Willie's leg started to shake nervously up and down.

"I - I asked you not to go in the attic. Y-you…you promised." He was squeezing his eyes closed as tight as he could, his jaw clenched. He was humiliated and she seemed to have no boundaries.

"Willie…please… look at me." She laid her hand down on his trembling leg, but he turned his head in the opposite direction. He couldn't possiblely look at her, he needed to get away from her.

"Willie…don't…please don't turn away."

Willie stood up and dragged his hand through his hair. "It's not what you think."

"Then what is it? Huh? What he did to you…Willie... When I think of you in that attic...attached to one of the posts… and what he did." Her voice started out strong and assertive, but as soon as she pictured him up there and helpless she started to cry. "How could you let him do that to you?"

Willie started to grow angry. _To save your fucking life! That's why I let him do it! Shit! _The words ran though Willie's head but he knew he couldn't tell her. The anger and frustration however started to rise in him, not just towards her, but towards IT. He felt close to exploding and was trying desperately to hold it back. Anger was not a feeling he was allowed to have in this house, but at this moment it started to build deep within him. Anger for Barnabas, anger towards Nick, anger for being imprisoned both mentally and physically. Mostly anger at himself for unleashing the beast all because of his foolish greed.

Abigail stood up and walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He turned around and her heart burst into pieces seeing his soft blue eyes brim with tears.

"How many times Willie? How often does he do this? Willie I want to kill him for what he did to you... He must have known when he showed me those that I would figure it out. "

Willie's voice grew loud and angry, he couldn't control it. "N-No! NO! " He yelled into the woods...and then he turned and grabbed Abby by the shoulders firmly. "You can never talk about it. Do you understand? You can never bring it up again…not to him...not to anyone! It never happened okay? Just leave it be Abby. Just leave ME be okay? This isn't any of your concern. I made a deal with the devil Abby and you need to just leave me be!"

Abigail stared up at him and her heart began to sink. "None of my concern? Jesus Willie, are you that dense? How have you not figured it out by now? I think I'm falling in love with you Willie."

"No NO! You can't!" Willie let her go and turned his back to her, choking back the tears. "Y…You need to leave me alone. I don't want to be loved Abby…not by you…not by anyone." Willie's voice dropped almost to a whisper, he was trembling as he sat back down on the park bench.

"This can't be…it can't".

Abigail sat down next to him and pulled his face between her hands. "I don't believe you Willie. I think you're scared. I don't know what the hell he has over you, but I know you have feelings for me. You can deny it all you want."

Willie pulled away from her wondering if there was some way out of this.

"Abby...if you ever bring it up...if you ever mention it... it will happen again. If you really care about me please...never utter a word of it." It was then that the pounding started. _No…_ It was calling him. Willie put his hands over his ears as the pounding got louder and louder. He needed to go to It.

Willie looked at Abigail and lied. "And you're wrong...I don't care about anything. You need to go in. I'll walk you back to the house." Willie didn't say another word to her and she followed him heartbroken. She knew he had feelings for her, she wasn't going to give up that easily.

He walked her back up to his room, the pounding was so loud he could barely hear himself think. He quickly built her a fire in silence.

Just before he left she called out to him.

"Willie… wait…please…please don't leave like this…"

"Just leave me alone Abby. You are safe here, just get some sleep. I'll come back later and make sure the fire is still going. Please just stay here."

* * *

He sat in the woods out by the driveway of the house. He was furious and his head was throbbing. _How dare that little piece of shit interfere with my life._ He knew that they went back to the old mansion, he had already been to her uncles house and the only thing there was a drunk old man passed out in the chair.

He began to walk slowly up the driveway, making sure to stay in the shadows and out of site. He wasn't sure what he would do once he got to them, but he was determined to kill Willie. If he couldn't have her there was no way some pathetic little loser would have her either.

Nick paused as he heard dogs howling in the distance. He looked around the woods and shook off the chill that shot through him.

He continued to walk closer and closer to the house and the sound of the dogs grew louder. He paused again and looked around.

"What the fuck?" Something had run past him in the dark. He couldn't make out what it was, but he could feel the draft from it as it passed.

Suddenly his feet were swept from under him and he fell hard to the ground.

"Shit!"

Something then grabbed the back of his jacket and began to drag him deep into the woods. He was screaming and pulling against his shirt.

Abruptly they stopped and he found himself again alone standing there. He began to run, not knowing what direction to go and as he ran his feet were again swept from beneath him.

Nick stood up again and started to run in the opposite direction only to be dropped again to the ground.

"Come on! Come on out! I'll face ya right here and now!" Nick was turning in all directions when his eyes landed on a figure emerging from the woods.

"You have made a terrible mistake… Nick is it?"

"Who the fuck are you?" The figure walked towards him, Its eyes were black and Its skin was white and lifeless.

"You should have left my things alone. I do not like it when someone tries to take things that belong to me."

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't even know you."

"Willie belongs to me and you attempted to kill him, this is a problem. I have much time invested in Willie, he is a valuable possession…you should not have tried to kill him."

Nick stood there and was completely confused, he just stared at the thing until he found some ounce of courage and tried to run.

The vampire reached out and snatched Nick up by the back of the neck. It then pulled his neck to the side and sunk Its fangs deep into the veins in his neck.

"Barnabas! What the hell? My God… W- what are you doing?!"

* * *

Abigail sat down in the chair next to the fire. She had her blanket pulled around her and she clutched Willie's sweater that had been sitting on the bed. She never expected to feel like this about someone, and she never thought she would find herself in such an impossible situation. She had spent so much time with him over the last few weeks she was sure that he had some feelings towards her. She thought about him and how he looked at here even today when Nick was threatening him, his concern always for her.

Her thoughts turned to Barnabas and anger grew in her belly. Why...why would he do something like that and why would he show her. She thought perhaps it was a warning to stay away from Willie. For the moment she would do what Willie asked and keep her mouth shut, but only so that he wouldn't have to endure the punishment for her actions. She wouldn't give Barnabas the satisfaction.

She climbed up into his bed and wrapped herself in the blankets, still clutching his sweater and staring into the flames as they danced against the wood. She tried to close her eyes but each time she did an image of Willie, hanging from one of the posts in the attic, being brutally beaten and helpless jumped into her head. It made her sick. She pulled his sweater up to her like it was a life line and continued to stare into the flames, afraid to close her eyes as tears streamed from them.

* * *

Willie found the Vampire in the woods not far from Widows peak, blood dripping from its mouth. Nick was lying on the ground looking up at Willie, fear exploding from his eyes.

"Barnabas! Shit! He needs to be found! He needed to be taken to prison…you should have turned him in…but now y-you've messed it all up! He knows what you are now…my God!"

Willie was pacing…

"He was coming to the house Willie to finish what he started. You realize he was going to try to kill you both." The vampire looked at Willie perplexed.

"Yes! I realize that…but he can't just disappear! God… She needs to know he is gone so she can feel safe. He can't just disappear never to be seen again. Now what the hell are we going to do?"

Nick was attempting to scoot across the ground but as soon as he started to move the Vampire reached down and grabbed him.

"What is that thing?" Nick was addressing Willie. "What is it? It's not human…"

"Barnabas…" Before Willie could say another word the vampire pulled Nicks head to the side and sunk his teeth deep into his veins.

"Barnabas..no NO!" Willie was frantic. "They can't find him like this…what are you doing?" Willie looked at Nick whose eyes were slowly slipping behind his head. The Vampire was draining him completely.

Barnabas pulled out of his neck and Nick dropped lifeless to the ground.

"You killed him. God you killed him!" Willie was pacing around the woods. When he turned around Barnabas was dragging Nick through the woods up towards Widow's Peak.

"Wh…what are you doing? Where are you going?" Willie chased It through the woods. It didn't stop for anything; It walked directly to the cliff and without even a second thought it tossed Nick off of the cliff, his body landing on the jagged rocks below.

Willie turned away and covered his eyes. "God forgive us."

"Calm your nerves Willie. The police will find him in the morning and they will assume he jumped."

"Barnabas…" Willie was standing in front of It, his voice firm and shaking his fist. "They will find him drained of blood. What do you suppose they will make of that? This wasn't the way…there was another way to deal with this."

"You should be thankful Willie. He is no longer a threat."

"Thankful? Thankful?!..." Willie laughed and spun around. "Yeah…I'm downright giddy with thankfulness. You know what I'm thankful for?" Willie was losing control. "I'm thankful for unleashing a Monster into this world who has enslaved me and beaten me repeatedly. I'm thankful for being so frightened of the dark ..I'm worse than a child..and I can't bear the thought of it." Willie was ranting and the Vampire was watching in awe.

"I'm thankful for being shoved and locked into closets, and tied to chairs, and hung up from posts and getting whipped brutally. I'm thankful for having no life, no future. I'm thankful for finally feeling the tenderness of another person and wanting to be with her knowing I can't and it rips my heart out whenever I see her." Willie had now collapsed onto the ground. "I'm just totally fucking thankful for everything Barnabas."

Barnabas stared down at his servant who clearly was having a moment of weakness, it disgusted him.

"Return to the house Willie after you have pulled yourself together. You can sleep in the chairs in the great room tonight. Don't be too long, I do not want to find myself having to retrieve you. I could just as easily take you now to sleep in the cell in the basement."

Willie grunted and grimaced at the thought. The vampire started to leave but Willie called out to It.

"Wait...Barnabas why...why did you take her to the attic?"

Barnabas just looked at him and smiled. "It was a warning Willie. She is far to curious and you care for her far to much. Your only loyalty is to me Willie and I warn you I am getting close to testing it. Perhaps now she will be careful with her curiosity, understanding it is you who will suffer the consequences." With that it turned and left him, but Willie did not linger long. He pulled himself up and headed back to the house.

* * *

Willie walked into his bedroom and Abigail was lying on the bed. His heart tugged when he saw her gripping his sweater tight to her as she lay there.

He pulled more wood and built the fire back up, warmth filling the room. He turned back and looked at her and gently kissed the top of her head and whispered "I'm sorry". He knew that this would be the last time he would ever be this close to her.

He turned and walked out of the room and returned to the great room. He built up the fire in the fireplace and pulled a kettle of water over the flames. He grabbed a blanket and made himself a cup of tea and tried to fall asleep, it would prove to be a challenge for him.

* * *

Abigail continued to stare into the flames when she heard the door slowly open. She instantly shut her eyes pretending to be asleep.

She could hear him in the room and could feel the warmth of the fire once again, she peeked her eyes open to get a glance of him as he poked at the fire. She quickly closed her eyes when he turned around and then she felt him bend down towards her and kiss her head. His words ripping at her insides. She forced herself to stay lying there pretending to be asleep and as soon as he left the room she sobbed deeply into the pillows.

* * *

Morning came and Abigail wandered downstairs finding Willie asleep in one of the chairs in the great room. She walked over to him watching him sleep and then reached down and stroked his arm.

"Willie…"

He jolted awake and saw her standing in front of him. They both then jumped when there was a knock at the front door.

Willie opened the door and the skinny police officer and another one stood there.

"Hi Willie...Is Ms. Chilton here?"

"Y-yeah..." Willie opened the door and allowed them both in. They pulled Abigail to the side and she stared up at them in disbelief as they talked to her. She walked away from them and looked at Willie... "The found him...at the bottom of Widow's Peak on the rocks. He's dead. They mentioned that there was something in question...that they would be back later"

She threw herself at Willie and he embraced her.

The police looked at the pair and tipped their hats. "Someone will be around a bit later to take several more statements. Please just stay put for a bit. We will have everything straightened out by this evening."

Abigail turned and looked at them both. "And Alex? Have you heard anything? There is no phone here... I can't call..."

"He is in the hospital. He's gonna be okay. You can go see him tonight."

They left and Willie shut the door behind them. He knew what their questions would be. The rest of the day was filled with officers coming in and out of the house. They asked him questions for hours and her as well. _Drained of blood... curious don't you think? _It added a level of stress to Willie that he had not counted on. He played dumb and she had no idea how to react to that, it was as much a surprise to her as it was to them. Finally they realized there was no explanation to be found here and it was close to four when the last officer walked out. Willie looked outside and knew there would only be another thirty or forty minutes before Barnabas would rise. He would wait for him and then take her home.

* * *

Barnabas came into the Great Room finding Willie there straightening up the bookshelf.

"Has the girl gone?"

"N-No Barnabas. She is upstairs, she will be down in a moment."

No sooner did he say it she was descending the stairs with her bag and her blanket.

The minute she laid eyes on him she felt the rage build within her belly. She hated this man knowing what he did, but she would not play his game. She quickly regained control and pasted a smile on her face.

"Mr. Collins...did Willie share the news with you? They found Nick. He's...he is dead."

"Ah...I see." It paused for a moment pretending to be surprised. " A shame for the young man. Will you be staying with us another night?"

"No...I want to go back to my apartment if that's okay." She didn't want to stay there another night. Something about that house disturbed her and she wished she could take Willie with her.

"Of course...Willie will drive you home."

She gathered up her things and before they left she turned and looked at Barnabas.

"Mr. Collins…I was wondering if you will be needing Willie on Thanksgiving? I would like to repay him for saving my life and have him over for dinner."

Willie was shocked. Here she was asking permission like he was a child. Abigail knew there was some sort of control that Barnabas had over him, so she decided to go straight to him and ask. Willie stood there looking at her and he felt ashamed and put his head down. How did she not realize how embarrassing this was?

Barnabas looked over at Willie and responded to her.

"I will require Willie during the day to make some deliveries for me, but he is free of his duties in the evening. Of course it is really up to Willie to do what he chooses in his free time."

"Wonderful…Willie I will see you at seven then?" She looked eagerly at him.

Willie looked up at her and was frustrated that she would not give this up. "Y-yeah…sure"

"Thank you for everything Mr. Collins."

"A pleasure. I am very glad that you are both safe." It glanced over at Willie.

Willie grabbed his keys and escorted her out the door. They climbed into his truck and started to drive.

"Willie can we stop and check in on Alex."

"Yeah…sure."

The drive was stiflingly quiet.

"Willie please say something…Willie I can't stand you being mad at me. Please…"

"I-I'm not mad, I-I just don't know what to say."

They continued the drive quietly. He parked the truck and they walked to the information desk to get Alex' room number.

Alex was lying on the bed with his head slightly up, several tubes running into his arms. She thought he might be sleeping at first but opened his eyes and a bright smile came over his face.

"Alex! Oh how are you… are you okay?"

Alex shook his head. "I'm okay, they said I lost a lot of blood but the shot missed anythin' important"

He then looked over at Willie. "Loomis…Thank You. You saved both of us. I can't begin to repay you."

Willie shook his head and looked down. "It's nothing. Yo-your welcome…I'll leave you two to talk. I'll wait outside." Willie left and closed the door behind him.

Alex looked at Abigail, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…he's dead. They found Nick on the rocks, apparently he jumped. I still can't believe it."

"No shit. I wonder what made him snap."

"I..I don't know. I'm so glad you're ok Alex."

* * *

Willie carried Abigail's things up to her apartment and walked in with her making sure she was okay. He didn't stay long however.

"Lock the door okay?"

"Yeah... you're leaving already?"

"Yes. I have to get back."

"Willie…I'll see you Thursday okay?"

Willie shook his head, saying nothing. He had no intention of going there but right now he just wanted to get out of there and away from her. He needed to be alone.

* * *

A couple days passed and Willie focused on his chores and the restoration, pretending that he didn't think of her.

Abigail was kept busy caring for Alex and making sure that things were setup at work for an unveiling of one of the restoration jobs that she was overseeing downtown.

Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and she was looking forward to seeing Willie, but she was also nervous and she wondered if he would even show up; Willie had no intention of going.

The morning came and brought with it thunderous snow clouds. Willie stood outside pulling wood in from the pile and paused to look at the grey sky. The snow would fall hard today, big flakes like he remembered as a child.

He found his thoughts drift to a memory of a Thanksgiving long since passed. It was of himself and his dad sitting at the kitchen table, his mother gracefully walking into the room as she brought the small turkey in. He remembered being so excited as they ate dinner and rushing through it to get to dessert. He thought of the small apartment they lived in and of his father who would play violin after they finished eating as his mother danced around the kitchen. It was a perfect time, he was seven…maybe eight. It was the last and possibly the only memory he had of them before he lost them both. A week before Christmas that same year he was sent out with a nickel to get candy from the corner store. It was rare for him to get the treat, but his father had fallen into some extra money and there was no bigger joy he felt than to see his boy's blue eyes twinkle with delight. He kissed Willie on the head and reminded him to pick up one piece of butterscotch…his mothers favorite. When Willie returned smoke was bellowing out from the apartment building. He dropped the candy to the ground and went charging towards the door as a large arm reached down and scooped him up pulling him back away from the building.

Willie stood there realizing he was still standing out in the back of the old house, his cheeks were freezing and he shook the memory from his head. He turned around and walked back into the house and finished up the chores for the day.

* * *

Abigail completed prepping the entrance way to the theater. It was the first job the historical society tackled and it turned out beautifully, except now when you looked at the row of buildings that lined the street it stuck out like a sore thumb and made the other buildings look terribly run down.

A red carpet was laid down and everyone was eagerly waiting to see it. The restoration project was a big deal in Collinsport, and the entire Collins family was there beaming with pride. All but Barnabas. Abigail found it odd that he never seemed to show up during the day, always away on business. She thought for sure he would come today…and yet there was no sight of him.

The opening went perfectly but she was distracted. She hurriedly barked out orders to the rest of the team so that she could leave. She needed to stop at the store before she went home to pick up some things for dinner. She was getting nervous to see Willie.

Once at her apartment she was preparing things and a sad thought about Nick entered her mind. Such a tragedy she thought. She felt bad for his family, they were good people. She decided not to attend his funeral, but she spoke to his parents. They informed her that even before she left him he got himself into trouble with money and made deals with the wrong people. He apparently started to fall into the wrong circles and it was a downward spiral from there.

Abigail looked at her watch, it was 6:30pm and she anxiously paced the apartment, straightening the same pillows over and over again.

* * *

Willie stood in the great room lighting the candles when he heard Barnabas walk through the door.

"Willie…I will be going out this evening."

"O-okay…"

"You are going out too. You are to go to Ms. Chilton's tonight."

"What?" Willie spun around and looked at him. "No…I-I'll be stayin' here."

"No Willie…You will go. It is not a question. It is an order. I gave my permission. I do not want her thinking that I would not allow you to go."

"What?...W-Why? Why do you want to make me do this? I-I don't understand? You told me yourself to stay away from her…you made it clear I was to keep distant. And now you want me to go to her… I don't get it…Barnabas…it will kill me! Please let me just be alone if that's what ya want. I-Its not fair..please don't make me go…"

"You will go Willie, and if you do not leave now you will be late."

"No… please! Barnabas don't make me go…I can't bear the thought of her close to me again. Please! Why! Why are you doing this to me?"

Barnabas looked at him and roared loudly. "GO NOW WILLIE!"

Willie backed up from It and pulled the keys from the table. He grabbed his coat and obeyed.

Willie pulled up in front of her apartment and desperately wanted to turn and leave. He walked up to her door and knocked and she answered.

"Hey…" She smiled at him and her stomach fluttered as he walked in.

"H-Hi." There was an awkward pause between the two of them.

"I-I'm sorry Willie…for the other night." She was surprised that he actually showed up. She was almost certain that he would have canceled.

"Please don't apologize. It's okay." Willie was still keeping his distance from her hoping to just get through dinner and then leave.

"Let's just pretend there is nothing else around us tonight okay? Just two friends enjoying dinner. No complications." She looked at him eagerly hoping he would take her up on her offer.

"No complications." He shook his head and sat down on the couch.

"Dinner's ready Willie." He walked over to the kitchen table and looked at the food on the table and he grinned and looked back up at her.

"Turkey soup, rolls and cranberry tea..." She smiled as she pulled the chair out for him to sit. "Oh and don't forget dessert!" She pulled out a plate of hard candies, butterscotch and peppermint. He stared at the plate and then quickly dashed the small tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

"Shall we?" She knew he couldn't possible eat the standard Thanksgiving feast so she did the best she could to provide something.

They both sat down and ate. They made small talk and she talked about the opening of the theater. He found that he got more comfortable as well, the tension seemed to melt away, he would try and play by the 'No Complications' rule even though he knew he would probably regret it in the morning.

It didn't take them long to eat, and he helped her clean up afterwards. He grabbed a piece of the butterscotch and wondered if the taste would make him sick. He opened it and the smell was pleasant. That was a good sign. He popped it in his mouth and found it tasted good. One more thing he could now add to his list of edible foods.

Willie sat on the overstuffed couch and she joined him. The threatening snow clouds that hung around all day finally delivered a wet heavy snow that they watched out the window.

Abigail stood up and turned on the TV to a Thanksgiving special. Even though he knew he shouldn't do it, he grabbed the blanket and held it up inviting her to nestle in next to him on the couch. She climbed in close and she whispered to him… "No complications". He pulled her into him and it felt good. Neither of them said a word, the snow fell outside and it wasn't long before they both fell asleep, exhausted from the events of the days before. They were both finally content for the first time.

**A/N: A little thanksgiving warmth... maybe too cheesy but had to give the poor guy a break. Thank you everyone for reading... things are about to get interesting for the pair.  
**


	15. Chapter 15 - Nothing

**Nothing**

Abigail felt warm and safe, both his arms wrapped around her. She turned to look up at him and he was awake gazing out the window. He turned and looked down at her and smiled but she could tell his thoughts were troubled. She turned in his lap to face him.

"Are you okay?" She asked him quietly as she brushed the blonde sweeps of hair from his eyes. It was an impossible question.

"I-I have to leave soon Abby."

Abigail sat up and scooted into the other corner of the couch. She pulled the blanket over and tugged at Willie's foot. "Come…" Willie flipped over and laid his head in her lap.

She stroked his hair over and over as he stared off into the room. "I don't want you to go. Stay…just stay here. You don't have to go back there. I don't want you to go back to that house."

This was the moment that he didn't want to face; the moment when he had to say goodbye. It was the moment that he tried so desperately to protect himself from for so long. It dawned on him now why Barnabas forced him to go. It was some kind of punishment, maybe for ranting in the woods or maybe Barnabas was still angry for the dressing table. Willie didn't know but he was certain that a physical beating would have been easier than what he had to do now.

"Abby…I want to stay… I wish I could stay…but I can't. I wish I could explain it. I meant what I said the other night. I made a deal with the devil Abby, I- I can't stay."

Abigail gently grabbed his hand and rubbed his wrist through his sweater. "I don't understand and I can't bear the thought of him doing this to you Willie." Willie thought to himself... if she only knew.

Willie began to sit up when she pulled him back down to her. "Not yet… just a few more minutes." He squeezed up tight around her. "God I wish I didn't have to go…"

They lay there for a while longer, but now each passing minute for him was painful. He knew it was time. It was almost midnight and he reluctantly sat up and began to put his shoes on. She sat on the couch next to him, she was quiet.

He stood up and took his jacket from the back of the chair and put it on. She walked over to him and grabbed a handful of the butterscotch candies and stuck them in his pockets as she smiled at him.

"I have to go…"

She grabbed on to him and held him tight. "Please don't go back to that house."

"Abby…I have to go… don't make this harder than it already is."

"What do we do next?" She looked at him wanting him to tell her everything would be fine and that he would be back tomorrow.

Willie shook his head. "Nothing…I can't come back here Abby."

"Because he won't let you? You are a grown man Willie…you can do what you want." Her voice was firm. She didn't understand.

"I-I can't…I'm sorry."

He turned to go, his heart in pieces and he choked back the tears. He didn't want to cry in front of her.

"Willie…" she grabbed at his sleeve as he was leaving and pulled him in for another embrace.

"Abby please… let me go…" His voice was cracking and heavy.

"I'll ask that bastards permission every night if I have to."

"Please…" Willie gently pushed her away and walked out the door. She watched him walk down the hallway and disappear into the stairwell. She shut the door and ran to the window and watched him as he walked back to his truck. She could tell he was wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve and she instantly started to cry.

* * *

Abigail lay sleepily on the couch letting the snow falling into the street lamp hypnotize her as she thought about Willie. She didn't understand this relationship between him and Barnabas. She hated Barnabas for what he had done and she wanted desperately to confront him, or turn him into the police. But she also knew she needed to be smart. It was clear that Willie would be punished for anything that she would do and no one would believe her in this town. After all Barnabas owned most of it and the people who lived there were afraid of him.

It was a banging at the door that jolted her from her thoughts. She glanced at the clock, 3:45 am. Her thoughts instantly went to Willie. _He came back! _She ran to the door and flung it open.

"Oh Willie! I…uh…oh…Mr. Collins? What on earth are you doing here?" Her blood began to boil at the site of the man.

"Ms. Chilton I need to speak to Willie immediately."

"H-he..he's not here. He left hours ago. He is back at the house Mr. Collins."

"No…No he is not. He did not return. Now let me speak to him." The Vampire was furious and trying to peek into the apartment to get a better look.

"Mr. Collins I assure you … Willie is not here. His truck is gone…"

"He left? Well if he is not here where is he?" Barnabas had sent out his call to the servant but he did not get any response.

"I-I don't know… He left here shortly before midnight. Oh God… do you think something's happened to him?"

The vampire looked straight through her.

"Oh no Willie! What—What if he got into an accident! What if he is on the side of the road somewhere?" She ran to the kitchen and pulled on her boots and threw on her coat and grabbed her keys. All the while Barnabas stood at the threshold of the doorway. She still would not allow him into her house, this fact irritated It.

She locked the door and flew down the stairs passing the Vampire briskly. "We need to find him Mr. Collins."

She stood out in the snow and turned and faced the apartment. "Mr. Collins..where… Mr. Collins?" _Where the hell did he go?_ She looked around and It was nowhere to be seen. She glanced into the entryway of the building and it was completely empty. She quickly shifted her focus back to Willie. _Where could he be? _She climbed into her car and pulled out onto the road, she was thinking the worst.

* * *

Barnabas raced through the woods but found nothing. He investigated the spot that Willie used to go in those first few days, where the large tree and swing were.

Nothing.

He rushed to Widow's Peak thinking perhaps the young man threw himself from the cliffs.

Nothing.

_Infuriating boy…_ The vampire then headed to the secret crypt in the remote chance that he would go there, there was no sign of him. It was getting close to dawn. Barnabas returned to the old house and stood in the middle of the great room furious with Willie. Where was he? It would be morning soon and he was given strict instructions to be back at the house. The vampire paced the room trying to call Willie but there was nothing returned. Barnabas was getting concerned; he spent too much time on Willie to have to start over with someone else.

The sun began to kiss the horizon and It was forced to return to the basement without his protector.

* * *

Abigail drove around until morning searching for him. She thought the worst as the sun rose is the sky. She decided to return back to her apartment, she had left in such haste she was still in her pajamas. A part of her hoped she would see his truck in front of her apartment, but it wasn't there. She ran up to her apartment and quickly changed. She grabbed the phone and dialed the police.

"Yes…he left last night but no one has seen him."

"Ms. Chilton Willie is a big boy…he'll turn up. It's only been a few hours. Willie has a reputation of disappearing, sometimes for days, I am sure he's fine."

"No you don't understand…something is wrong…you have to send someone out to look for him."

"Ms. Chilton…we won't be wasting tax payer's money by sendin' anyone out for him. If he doesn't turn up in a day or two we'll look into it."

"A day or two!? He could be dead by then! What if he's hurt? Hello? Hello? ASSHOLES!" She slammed the phone down.

She decided to go back to the old house. Maybe he would turn up there. She headed down the frozen road that lead to the old house and instantly noticed the fresh snow in the driveway was untouched. It was a sure sign that his truck had not been there. _Oh God Willie where are you?_

Abigail drove her car up the driveway but didn't make it all the way. The snow had come down hard last night and it was wet and heavy and her small car was no match for it. She spun the wheels over and over trying to get it to budge but it didn't move. _Shit. _

She climbed out of the car and trudged her way through the snow up to the front door of the house. She stood on the porch and began pounding on the door.

"Mr. Collins… Mr. Collins! It's Abigail. Hello?" There was no answer. She peaked into the front window but everything was still inside. She walked back over to the door and attempted to open it but it was locked.

Frustrated she sat down on the front porch. It was blisteringly quiet and all she could hear were the woods around her cracking in the cold air.

"Willie…where are you…" She whispered to herself.

Abigail stood up and walked around the back of the house. She needed to find a shovel or something to dig her car out of the snow. It was obvious that neither Willie nor Barnabas were here. She looked around and tried to get into the shed in the back but didn't find anything there that would help move the snow. She saw the back door and peeked into the window and there in the corner a metal shovel was leaning against the wall. She jiggled the door and it was locked.

Abigail stood there and started again to think the worst. Looking at the back door she decided to ask for forgiveness later and picked up a rock from the garden and threw it through the back window of the door. With all the work she was having done in town for the restorations she knew someone who could come out today and fix it.

She carefully tried to reach her hand in and unlock the door, as she slid it in a large branch fell from one of the trees behind her and came crashing down to the ground. _What the hell!?_ She jerked around tearing her hand on one of the shards of glass poking out from the window pane. _Shit… _A deep cut ran over the side of her hand and thumb and blood was dripping into the white snow. She shook her head and put her hand in again and continued to unlock the door.

Abigail hustled into the kitchen and grabbed a towel that was on the counter and wrapped her hand in it. She was bleeding badly and would need to take care of this first. She searched the cupboards for something she could use, a first aid kit…anything. She knew there must be something she could use after seeing Barnabas tending to Willie's wounds. The thought of that night made her stomach churn.

She found nothing in the kitchen and headed up the back stairs to the small bathroom. In the bathroom she found several strips of linen, some large bandages, a handful of blood stained towels, a bottle of turpentine and a plastic container that contained some kind of homemade salve of some sort, the smell was offensive. She also found a box full of different kinds of rope and several rolls of duct tape. As she looked at the items in the cupboard her anger started to flare. _Oh God Willie…_

She grabbed a couple of strips of the linen and poured some turpentine over the cut, it burned badly and had such a strange odor. She wrapped the strips around her hand and then took some of the duct tape and taped it in place.

She quickly put everything back into the cupboard where she found it and was getting ready to head down the back stairs, but she paused at Willie's room and stared at the doorknob. _Maybe he IS here…_ She slowly twisted the knob and as she did she noticed there was a skeleton key lock on the outside. _Odd…_ She proceeded to go in and found nothing. His bed was still made and the fireplace was cold. She looked around the room and her heart ached thinking of him living in the house.

She walked out and as she shut the door she looked at the doorknob again. _No lock on the inside, only the outside… _A terrible thought raced through her. She thought of the first few days there and remembered Barnabas telling her that Willie usually goes out. She remembered going out to find him and finding out no one had seen him at night for weeks. She remembered the odd sound she heard come from his room that first night at the house. _No…NO! He wouldn't! _Her thoughts were racing and none of them made any sense.

"What the hell is going on in this house?" She whispered to herself as she shut his door.

She rushed down the back stairs and grabbed the shovel and instead of running outside she decided to go through the house to the front door. The house was eerie. There was a dead silence about it and it was so cold. Any time she had been there the fireplaces were lit and there was some kind of warmth to it, but now it was frigid and so empty feeling.

She ran down the driveway and began to dig herself out from the snow drifts. It seemed to take an eternity but eventually she was able to get her car moved. She tossed the shovel into the car and began driving again, heading back to town, searching the sides of the road as she drove. She checked in every place she could think of.

Nothing.

Abigail decided to stop in at the diner and sat up at the counter. It was getting close to lunch time and she hoped maybe they saw him there.

"Hey Abby…what can I get ya? Whoa...what happened to your hand?" The waitress was her usual pleasant self.

"What? Oh...nothing... A coffee please… and a side of toast?... Hey…You haven't seen Willie around here this morning have you?"

"Geeze no Abby… It's been pretty busy though, sometimes he sneaks in and out without anyone even knowing. Like a ghost that leaves money on the counter…Everything okay?"

"I hope so… he never made it back to the old house last night."

"Ahh… I'm sure he's fine." The waitress paused for a moment with a perplexed look on her face. "Can I ask ya something? What do you see in that guy anyway?"

Abigail looked up at her, worry bursting from her eyes. "People don't see him the way I do." Abigail didn't want to have his conversation and tossed her money up on the counter.

"You're not really falling for the guy are you? I mean really…you could do a heck of a lot better than Willie Loomis!" The waitress giggled as she spoke but quickly stopped when she looked up from the counter, Abigail had tears streaming from her face.

"Oh Abby…Oh I'm sorry… you are really worried huh? I'll keep an eye out for him. I'm sorry…" Abigail turned and left, simply nodding to the waitress and hurrying out the door. She didn't even touch her food or her coffee.

Abigail headed back to the old house but not before she made arrangements for the back door window to be fixed. She thought about Barnabas and his reaction to find out she broke into his home. _He'll understand… I think._

* * *

Abigail was sitting in the great room when the man fixing the window entered. "She's all fixed! Put it on your account Ms. Chilton?"

"Y-yes…thank you." She showed the man out and then roamed around the great room and paused as she stood in front of the basement door. She couldn't help herself and she reached for the doorknob. It didn't budge. This door too had lock on the outside. She wondered what was down there that made it such a forbidden zone. It couldn't be half as shocking as the attic.

She paced around and then realized that she better leave. Barnabas would most likely not welcome the site of her in his home while no one was home. She would come back later and explain everything to him, and prayed that Willie would show up.

* * *

It was dusk and the sky was painted a beautiful shade of pink and purple. The sun had gone down and the Vampire saw the only glimpse of daylight It could ever see, just after the sun had set behind the horizon.

It walked into the great room to find none of the candles lit. No fires.

Nothing.

It put out Its call but found no response. Barnabas was thoroughly confused and concern started to build. It stalked out of the great room and into the kitchen, no fires lit. It then opened the back door and looked down at the ground. The vampires long fingers scooped up snow that sat on the stoop of the back door. _Blood…_ Crimson drops stained the pure white. It then licked the snow from It's hand with its long tongue and Its eyes flashed black. _Not his…_

* * *

It was dark and cold. He opened his eyes but couldn't see anything. He felt wet and he couldn't move. _Where the hell am I?_


	16. Chapter 16 - Our Boy

**Our Boy **

Willie left her apartment and barely made it to the stairwell before his emotions got the best of him. When he opened the door of the apartment building the blast of cold air seemed to chill him more than usual after having left the warmth of her. He walked as quickly as he could to his truck, the snow was still dropping a heavy wet blanket over the ground, clinging to every surface. He reached the truck and dragged his arm across the windshield slopping the wet snow to the ground.

He glanced up and saw her staring at him from the window...he missed her already.

Willie climbed into the truck and reached into his pockets to warm his hands when he felt the candies. He pulled one of them out and just stared at it. He thought for a moment about his mother and began to cry when he couldn't remember the details of her face. _What kind of an asshole can't remember their own mother. _His self-loathing once again taking over.

Willie started up the truck and began to drive back towards the old house. It would be a slow drive and he was glad he left when he did, it would take twice as long to get home with the roads the way they were. He hoped to get back and by some miracle avoid a beating…or a feeding.

Willie stared at the Christmas lights that whirled past has he drove… he was just pulling past the Blue Whale and turning onto the long two lane wooded highway that led to the driveway of the old house when something flashed in front of him causing him to slam on his breaks. He put the truck in park and sat there for a moment, only the whirring of the truck engine in the background. He then saw another figure run across the road, and another and then another.

Willie looked around and just as he was about to move the truck someone jumped onto the hood.

"Jesus …Shit! …Hey…HEY!" Willie nearly jumped out of his skin and then he started smacking the windshield with his hand.

"Hey! GET OFF! Get the Fuck Off!" He was in no mood to be taunted by some stupid restless kids whose boredom led them out on a night like this. Before he had a chance to think a second kid opened the driver side door and began pushing Willie into the center. Willie pushed back almost getting the kid out when a third one opened the passenger side door and pulled Willie back in towards the center.

"Wh-what the hell?" Two of them were now on either side of Willie and the boy on the hood jumped down and hopped in the back of the truck with a fourth kid.

"What the fuck…what are you doing?" Willie was lodged between the two boys. _When did highschool kids get so damn big?_

"Well if it ain't the freak show himself." The newly self-appointed driver took the truck out of park and started speeding down the road.

"Hey…w-what are you doing? Stop STOP!" Willie started to panic, the last thing he needed was for these idiots to drive him out of town.

"Y-you guys come on… stop the truck! Ya had your fun…that's enough…"

The kid in the passenger side flipped on the radio full blast as they started speeding down the road.

"Loomis… God! You are such a loser. Dale… what the hell are we going to do with him?"

"We could just kill him! Not like anyone would miss him. Freak loner."

"What are you going to do?... WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!… just pull over okay? Pull over and get out and let me go home huh? Come on fellas… you've had your fun. You made me nearly piss my pants… so game's over okay? I won't tell your parents I swear!"

Willie recognized the boys, the two in the front seat were brothers, Sean, the oldest home from college and his idiotic brother Dean who was a junior in high school…again. Their dad owned one of the only businesses in town that wasn't controlled by the Collins family.

Then there was Pete in the back, Willie knew because he recognized the stutter that the kid had. It was a terrible stutter; the only words the kid didn't stutter were swear words. The last boy, the youngest, was Mike. Quiet kid usually, even now he was quiet. Willie knew him from the diner; he was always working and washing the vile breakfast dishes in the early mornings before school.

"What do ya think guys? Should we pull over?" With those words the kid slammed on the breaks causing the truck to fishtail and spin around the road. When it came to a stop Sean opened the passenger side door and pulled Willie out by the back of his collar. The rest of the boys jumped out of the truck as well and surrounded him.

"Loomis ur such a weirdo." Dean pushed him in the chest, the rest of the boys followed suit, each one pushing him back and forth to each other like he was a ball on the school playground.

"Shit… leave me the hell alone okay? Come on!" Willie knew he was outnumbered and quite honestly his body was still in shambles from the days before. He just hoped they would get bored with the game and leave.

The boys pushed Willie into the woods taunting him as they did so. Shoving him past trees and over stumps.

But Willie's anger started to rise. Too many nights of being trapped and alone and helpless, he was not about to go through another one. He grabbed on to one of the boys, he didn't even know which one and he decked him right in the face, repeatedly. It was Sean, the oldest, that pulled Willie off of Pete. Not a moment later a fierce blow to the stomach came, and then another folding Willie in half like a piece of paper.

"Now you're gonna regret it."

They pushed him deeper and deeper into the woods until suddenly the ground swallowed Willie up.

Willie felt the ground leave his feet and he started to fall, he tried to grab onto anything as he went down but there was a sharp pain that erupted in the back of his head and he dropped into oblivion.

"What the fuck!" The boys looked at the ground and saw him about eight feet down in a narrow hole that had about a foot or two of water in the bottom of it.

"Fuck! What is that…?"

The quiet one, Mike, lit a cigarette and leaned over the hole. "A well… hand dug one I'm guessin'. Lots of em back in here. Look …see the old house foundations? Used to be a few houses out here too." He leaned back again, cool as could be and started walking back to the truck without saying another word.

"Mike…where ya goin'? Shit… we gotta get him outta there…!" Sensible words finally heard from Dean for possibly the first time in his entire life. "We can't just leave him!"

The rest of the boys turned and left. "He's unconscious for God's sake! Ya can't…He could die out here!" Dean chased the rest of the boys out of the woods pleading with them to go back.

"Shut up Dean… Shit! You wanna help the little weirdo out go ahead. We're takin' his truck and gettin' outta here." Pearls of wisdom spoke by big brother.

"We can't just leave him…oh man…we gotta go back… we were just going to scare him! Just a prank... not kill him!" Dean was pacing with his hands on his head. "He works for Barnabas… if dad finds out I'm dead. We're dead! Dad will kill us Sean! It's his business partner…he could put dad out of business with the snap of a finger!"

"S-s-shut t-t-t-the fuck u-up D-d-d-ean… n-no o-one fucking g-g-g-gives a f-f-flyin' shit a-a-a-bout fucking L-L-L-Loomis."

The boys climbed back in the truck, Dean still yelling his objections, and sped away down the road, radio blasting and echoing through the woods. It was a little after one in the morning.

* * *

Willie opened his eyes slowly and tried to get things into focus, he looked around and it was dark, and cold. _Where the hell am I ?_ It was the only thought he had before he slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Willie jolted awake and panicked looking around him. _Shit... SHIT! _ He felt around with his hands and he felt bricks, uneven and crumbling on every side of him. He was in water up to his shins and his head was pounding. Willie looked up and saw the sky. _Daytime...I never made it back. He's going to kill me..._

"Oh God...Abby!" Willie tried to claw his way up the walls and started screaming. "Hey! HEY! Is anyone out there! Shit! SHIT!"

For several hours he continued to try and climb up the walls, each time getting a foot or two off the ground and then loosing his footing and falling back down. His body was fatigued and he was getting dangerously cold. He managed to lodge himself at the bottom of the hole so that his feet were on the wall and out of the water, but he could only hold that position for short periods of time. He couldn't believe the kids left him there...how could they just leave a person like this...just leave him there to die? He wondered for a moment if he would have done the same thing when he was a their age.

Willie mustered up the strength to try and climb up and out one more time, he made it further than he had before. His hand reached the top of the hole and he tried to grip the ground. Attempting to pull himself up the brick he was using for leverage with his foot crumbled taking his footing with him. He tried to hold on but his hands slipped off the opening of the hole and he slid back down. _No...NO NO..._

Willie landed back in the water and started shivering.

"Hey...anyone...! PLEASE P-PLEASE!" Willie yelled until his voice grew hoarse and was barely audible. The day started to drop behind the horizon and the hole started to get dark again. Nightfall was coming. It would be dark again soon and the thought petrified him.

* * *

It was getting dark and Abigail pulled into the driveway of the old house; careful to stay at the bottom so she wouldn't get stuck again. She rushed out of the car and ran through the snow up the driveway; her worry multiplied when she didn't see Willies truck there.

"Mr. Collins!" She wasted no time pounding on the front door. "Mr. Collins!"

Barnabas opened the door and she stood looking up at him, her eyes pleading. "I-Is he here? Please tell me he's here."

The vampire stood in the doorway and welcomed her into the house. "Please Ms. Chilton, come in." She eagerly rushed through the front door and questioned him again.

"Please tell me you found him…"

"No Ms. Chilton, I'm afraid not."

Abigail dropped herself on the bottom stair of the front staircase and dropped her head into her hands. "Mr. Collins…where… where could he be?".

"I don't know…" Barnabas replied in a serious tone and with a frown on his face. He was concerned as well.

"Ms. Chilton…you care deeply for the boy don't you?" He looked at her not expecting to see her quite so distraught.

Abigail turned and looked at It and pushed the anger that she felt for him back down into her belly. She wiped her eyes with the backs of her sleeves and pierced a stare directly into the Vampire, "I love the boy Mr. Collins." Barnabas looked away from her and walked into the great room. _Stupid girl._

It was then that Barnabas could sense something… _Willie…_

* * *

Willie started to get tired. Dreadfully tired. He could barely keep his eyes open and as he began to drift off he wondered if it would be better if he just died there. The thought was not an upsetting one to him. She would be safe and he would be free. It might just be the best thing. He closed his eyes and as he started to drift the pounding in his head started. He pulled arms up and folded it over his head. The pounding was intense, unbearable. _Please…stop…MAKE IT STOP! _The pounding was so intense he started to feel sick and the sour knot made an unwanted appearance.

* * *

"Ms. Chilton I am going to go out and look for him." Barnabas suddenly seemed agitated and anxious.

"I'll go with you!"

"No...you should stay here in case he comes back." Barnabas pulled on his cloak and then walked to the basement door ensuring that it was locked. Abigail watched him with curiosity. "Make yourself comfortable Ms. Chilton."

* * *

The pounding was getting maddening. Willie was screaming now up into the opening of the hole. "Please! MAKE IT STOP!" It was like thunderous clouds concentrated between his ears. He pulled his hands up over his ears and started to scream. _He's looking for me...oh God._

The vampire stood over the hole looking down at Willie who was nearly huddled into a ball, sitting in the water squeezing his head with his arms.

The pounding suddenly stopped.

"Willie...you stupid fool." Barnabas hissed at him as he looked down on him. Willie looked up and could see the vampires pale face, he suddenly wished he would have died in there.

The vampire reached down and pulled him out of the hole like a rag doll and tossed him on the ground.

Willie landed and the impact of the ground knocked the breath out of him. He was gasping for air when It flipped him over and looked at him.

"And the Truck?"

"S-stolen..."

"STOLEN!? And might I ask what exactly happened?"

Willie tried to sit up, he was freezing and soaked. "A-a guy jumped into the truck when I was stopped. He - he drove me up here a-and forced me out of the truck. I was walkin' back and fell ... I fell in... I-I didn't see the hole." Willie couldn't turn over the kids to the monster.

"Willie you are quite possibly the worst liar I have ever had the displeasure to know. Get Up!" It yelled at him and pulled him up to his feet.

Willie tried to stay on his feet but he couldn't. Barnabas reached down and grabbed Willie by the arm and dragged him through the woods at a speed that made his mind spin.

They reached the old house and Barnabas bent down and tossed Willie over his shoulder carrying him into the house.

* * *

Abigail was pacing around the great room when she heard the front door open. She spun around and found Barnabas carrying Willie.

"Willie...OH WILLIE! Y-You found him!" She rushed over to them but Barnabas didn't stop, he headed up the stairs and into Willie's bedroom, dropping him on the bed. She rushed up behind them. "I-Is he okay? Mr. Collins... Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine. Get him out of these clothes." ITs voice was sharp and angry. Abigail rushed to him and pulled his shoes and socks off, they were soaking and his feet were freezing. She walked to the side of the bed and looked at Willies face, it was dirty and his lips were slightly blue.

"He needs a hospital Mr. Collins. He is freezing cold... Mr. Collins... did you hear me?"

"He'll be fine right here." Barnabas built a fire and then exited the room.

Abigail quickly pulled Willie's soaked pants off and dragged a pair of his flannel pants on him and stripped off his jacket and shirt. His body was shivering.

"Willie...Willie can you hear me?" She was right down close to his face stroking the side of his cheek with the back of her hand. "Willie?"

Willie opened his eyes and looked up at her, the blue of them hazy and soft. "Abby..."

She grabbed a sweatshirt and helped him get it on and then pulled the blankets over him. They were so thin, she wished she had hers from home.

Barnabas came back in the room with a pot of water and placed it over the fire.

"Mr. Collins he really needs a doctor, please!"

"He will be just fine once he is warmed. He isn't hurt."

"I-I'm fine...r-really..." Willie was trying to sit up but struggled.

"Willie where have you been? I was worried to death!" She sat up next to him and pulled him over to her, she went to kiss him on the forehead but he pulled away. He didn't want to get close to her around Barnabas.

"Stupid fool fell in what's left of one of the old wells a few miles from the house... managed to get the truck stolen first."

"Oh God Willie!"

"I-t's ok... really."

"Ms. Chilton leave us please." Willie looked up at Barnabas, fear flashing through his eyes. _What does he want?_

"N-no..I want to stay with him Mr. Collins"

The vampire shot a look at Willie and he instantly reacted.

"Abby…please…i-it's okay. Really…please just for a minute." Willie's eyes were begging. She didn't want to leave his side but the look he gave her was one of desperation and she knew she better obey or Willie would suffer the consequence later.

"O-okay…" she backed out of the doorway even though she dreaded the thought of leaving him alone with Barnabas.

* * *

"You need your rest Willie." Barnabas jumped on the bed and pressed Its knee into his chest to immobilize him. It then whispered as It stroked the hair falling over Willies eyes. Willie cringed on contact and bile rose in his throat. "The girl is going to be more of a problem than I thought. She seems to be in love with you…were you aware of that?"

Willie shook his head denying it and started to speak but the vampire slid Its large hand over his mouth pushing down hard and pressing his head into the pillow. Its hand had that cold clammy feel to it.

"Shhhh Willie. I know you love her…I can see it. I can feel it... You know I got a taste of her tonight…she tastes different from you …"

Willies eyes flashed wild with horror and confusion and he began to struggle harder than he had before summoning every ounce of energy he had. _NO…NO NO NO!_

"I think I'd like to compare the two again…" The vampire reached down and grabbed his wrist, Willie was watching and trying to squirm from Its grip, but the knee in his chest was pinning him down.

The vampire then bit deeply into Willie's wrist and he muffled a cry as It drained him to the edge of consciousness. _Don't ... please don't..._Willie's body went limp and heavy but his mind was racing and the pure agony of lying there knowing she was just outside the door was beyond his limits.

Barnabas ripped himself out of Willie at the sound of the door. "May I come back in?"

The vampire bend down next to Willies ear and whispered..."Your carelessness almost got you killed, you lost the truck, and worse you left me unprotected. This is not acceptable. You will not leave this house tomorrow do you understand?" Willie could just barely move his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was unable to lift his arms to wipe them away and he wondered how far It would drain him.

Barnabas jumped off of Willie, wiped the blood from his mouth and pulled Willie's sleeve down. "Yes of course…" Barnabas answered. "He seems to be resting now. The boy is exhausted." It turned and put more wood in the fireplace.

"Mr. Collins…may I stay…just for a while. Just to make sure he is okay? Please?" She would play his game and be as polite as ever.

"Yes of course Ms. Chilton. But our boy needs his rest so not too long." Anger flushed through her again at the words 'our boy' _our boy...NO not YOUR boy! MY boy! _

Abigail and Barnabas exchanged looks and they were not looks of niceties. They almost seemed to be challenging each other. In the end Barnabas knew she was going to be trouble so decided it was better to let her stay for the moment. It then walked out of the room. _Stupid girl._

Willie lay there, attempting to pull himself up but his arms buckled each time he tried.

"Just rest…" She whispered to him.

He turned his head to the side and looked away from her, desperately trying to stop the tears from flowing but they just kept coming. He felt humiliated and helpless and he was dying inside.

"Oh Willie..." She reached over and tried to wipe the tears away. Gingerly she moved him over and sat up on the bed. She scooped him into her arms and the tighter she held him harder he cried. He knew that a dangerous game had begun and there was no way she would win. Barnabas would take her away from him… one way or another.

"Oh please stop crying Willie…Its breaking me to pieces to see you like this."

Willie looked at her and pulled every ounce of strength he had in him and began to speak.

"I-I can't…I can't stay here a-anymore…" he was barely audible and his mind was scattered, he wasn't thinking clearly, Barnabas' words echoing in the background of his thoughts. _She tastes different than you…she is more of a problem than I thought. It will be your fault Willie. It's obvious she won't be able to stay away from you. She is in love with you…did you know that?_

"No..No Willie.. you don't have to. You can come with me…tonight. We can leave tonight."

"No-I can't…that…that's not what I mean…" He was shaking his head back and forth. "I – I just ...I need to die Abby. You…you'll be safe if I'm gone…I – I need to go…you need to leave this house and never come back...this place isn't safe...you're in danger here...with me..."

"Willie?! Willie what are you talking about?" She pulled him up in her arms as best she could. "You don't know what you're saying…you…you can't…you can't leave me Willie…please!" She was holding him tight and sobbing as she whispered in his ear. "You can't leave me Willie! I just found you… oh please… please!"

Barnabas had taken more than he intended during the feeding and it forced Willie into the darkness as Abigail gripped him tight. "Willie please…oh God..."

She started to yell…

"Mr. Collins… MR. COLLINS!" she ran out of the room and screamed down the stairs. "Mr. Collins please…come quick! It's Willie!"


	17. Chapter 17 - Jealous

**Jealous**

Abigail rushed back into Willie's bedroom and dropped down next to his bed.

"Willie please… oh please wake up." She was whispering, tears gently running down her cheeks.

There was no response. She felt his neck for a pulse and there was the faintest of beating, his breaths were shallow and slow. "Willie…come on…please come back to me…" She gently cradled his head in her hands and pressed her forehead up against his, her sobbing steadily increasing. "…please…please…"

The vampire stood silently in the doorway looking in on the pair and watched her for a moment before making his presence known. He watched as she poured her soul over him, gently stroking his cheeks, holding the servant, overflowing with fear for the boy. The sight made Barnabas angry and even though Willie was on the edge of death the vampire filled with vile jealousy. The connection the two of them had was something he had been denied, and here a stupid lowlife servant meets some random girl by chance and they find what It so desperately wanted. He hated Willie for having what he couldn't. He was actually jealous of this poor shattered blonde boy lying on the flimsy bed.

Abigail lifted her head for a moment and caught a glimpse of the dark figure in the doorway. She stood up and pleaded with It, her eyes were pained as she spoke.

"Mr. Collins… please… he needs a doctor… a hospital. He could be dying! He can't die Mr. Collins…please." She was begging him and struggling to maintain her composure. After seeing what It had done to Willie in the attic she knew she needed to navigate through this mess carefully.

"The boy will be fine." Barnabas tried to hide his concern, but he didn't understand how he could have taken so much, he thought he was careful and this wasn't his intention.

Abigail cocked her head to one side and looked at IT with questioning eyes "How?...How do you know that? You can't possibly know that he will be fine! Look at him!" She was getting irritated and losing her patience.

Barnabas tried to keep calm and walked to the side of the bed and motioned for Abigail to move out of the way. He pulled one of Willies eye lids up, and then the other. He felt for a pulse and he was slightly relieved to find that he still had one.

"Mr. Collins…he is so cold. What's wrong with him? Please if you don't take him to a doctor I will!"

"Ms. Chilton I assure you he will be fine." Barnabas looked down at him and knew he needed to bring Willie's body temperature up. One of the benefits of being one of the walking dead was that It never needed to worry about being cold, or warm, the only reason It wore that stupid cloak was because It liked the look of it. But It knew that Willie's body temperature was terribly low and with the loss of blood it was even more dangerous. As much as Barnabas hated Willie at the moment for having something he didn't, the vampire didn't want him dead. Not yet at least, not like this.

Barnabas again left the room and returned with several buckets of sand and four bedpans. He put the sand buckets directly into the fire and let them sit there heating the sand until it was scorching hot. It poured the sand into the bed pans and then slid the pans beneath the thin mattress.

It then looked over to Abigail, "There are additional blankets in Josette's room."

_Josette? Who the hell is Josette?_ The look on her face clearly displayed her confusion.

"The large room down the hall…the one with the large bed, pull the blankets if you would."

Abigail rushed to the large room, carrying a candle with her to light her way. She looked around the room and an eerie feeling came over her. The room was creepy by candlelight. She brushed off the strange feelings and grabbed the blankets from the bed. They were far superior to the ones Willie had which made her even more furious.

She dragged the bedding into his room and threw the bedding over Willie. "Mr. Collins I will say it again, Willie needs a doctor and I don't want to sound rude, but last I checked you were not one..."

With that she kicked off her shoes and did the unthinkable. She pulled the covers up and climbed into bed with Willie as the vampire stood and looked at her in shock.

"You are getting into his bed? Ms. Chilton I hard…"

Abigail interrupted him before he could even finish. Her tone was determined and unwavering. "Mr. Collins… he is freezing to death...quite literally. I am going to lie next to him to help warm him up. This house is utterly freezing." She thought about leaving the house and fetching a doctor herself, but given what little she knew about the relationship between the two men she feared for Willie once she left and she knew she would not be let back in. She didn't trust Barnabas and his intentions after seeing the brutality that he bestowed on him. She decided to take her chances and stay with him, hoping he would hold on until morning.

The vampire stood in the room with a look on his face that was perhaps one of shock or quite possibly one of confusion. One thing that was certain is that It was infuriated with not just her, but with the very fact that she was right. He didn't want Willie to die tonight. Barnabas needed him, although he would never admit to such a thing, and it was his fault for dragging Willie down so close to death. Barnabas also knew that with the amount he did take Willie would be unconscious for the rest of the evening and quite possibly into the morning. He would need her there to take care of him, but he worried that she would attempt to leave the house with Willie.

"Very well." Barnabas walked out of the room and shut the door, tempted as he was he left it unlocked.

* * *

Abigail lay next to him, holding him tight and trying to warm him. As the hours went by she would build up the fire and replace the bed pans beneath the mattress and then climb back in with him. She stayed next to him for the entire night. He never once opened his eyes.

As she lay there she began to think about the house and the first time she visited it. She was so fascinated by it, it was beautiful and she remembered being completely smitten with it. But now...now she felt differently. The house had a darkness filling it, something was wrong about this house. Very wrong. She looked at Willie, his pale face and thin frame. She wondered how on earth she fell in love with this man and she tried to figure out why he was somehow under Barnabas' control. What did he have over him? What would make a grown man endure such horrific punishment and still continue to stay? Most men would kill another man for that kind of treatment. She then thought of the basement. _What is in the basement? _She wanted to know what was being hidden down there.

She pulled Willie a little closer and tried to calm her thoughts down. She tried to keep her eyes open but fell asleep next to him.

* * *

"Ms. Chilton it is nearly morning. Surely you have a job to keep. You should go, I can take care of him." Barnabas voice woke her as he made his first appearance since leaving them alone.

"I will be staying with him Mr. Collins… In any case it is Saturday and I won't be working." The vampire grew tired of her, but morning was coming quick. It thought about just grabbing her by the throat and tearing into her neck and ridding himself of her, but that would be difficult. He was sure that most of town knew she was out looking for Willie and that she came back to the old house. Her car was there and he didn't want to bring on unwanted attention. He would have to take care of her in some other way and some other time.

"Well I will be leaving shortly, I have business to attend to. I will return this evening." It looked at her and knew It needed to make sure she wouldn't be taking Willie out of the house.

"I will stay with him Mr. Collins. I will see you this evening." She was relieved that he would be going, she didn't want him around.

Barnabas turned and walked out of the room, morning was close to peeking in through the windows.

* * *

Willie turned his head to the side and he struggled to open his eyes. After several attempts he was able to focus on the face that was intently staring back at him. Tears softly rolled down her cheeks when she saw the soft blue of his eyes. He pulled a worried look over his face and tried to sit up but didn't have the strength. He managed a quiet whisper.

"A-Abby…are you really here?"

"Y-Yes Willie…I'm really here… I'm here." She stared into his eyes and grabbed his hand up tight and brought it to her face. "Oh God I thought I'd lost you"

He squeezed her hand and then his eyes darted around the room.

"He's not here. He's gone for the day apparently. It's just us. He won't be back until nightfall" She felt Willie's body relax once he knew.

He turned his head back to her and tried to sit up again. Abigail positioned herself behind him and helped prop him up so he was leaning back against her. She reached down and pulled the blankets up tight around his neck.

"I-I'm so sorry Abby." Choked words escaped him in a low and mournful voice and he fell back into a dark sleep.

* * *

Barnabas was holding Abigail around the waist as he stood tethered to one of the poles in the attic. He watched as It danced her around the room between the poles to music coming from a music box that he had seen in Josette's room. Her head tipped to one side and she looked at him, black cold eyes. It released Abigail and she walked over to him, her stare dead and dark.

He began to scream as she stood in front of him and then she grabbed him from behind the neck and sunk her teeth deep into his the soft flesh and began to suck.

"NO….NO NO NO! Abigail! He got to you… oh God you're ONE of them… YOU'RE ONE OF THEM ! It's all my fault!"

* * *

Abigail stood up to put more wood on the fire. She was thirsty and decided to run downstairs and pull a tea bag from the cupboard. She went quickly not wanting to leave Willie alone long. She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and two teabags, she thought she might try and wake him.

Both mugs dropped to the ground and broke into pieces on the hard floor when she heard screaming coming from his bedroom. She darted up the stairs and flew into Willies room. He was sitting straight up, his arms raised above his head and eyes open wide and yelling in the bed…

"NO….NO NO NO! Abigail! He got to you… oh God you're ONE of them… It's all my fault!"

She rushed to him and carefully pushed his arms back down to his sides.

"Willie… wake up… it's a bad dream… just a dream Willie…" She stared into his eyes and they were looking past her, filled with tears that with one blink would spill from his lids, he was still inside the nightmare.

"I let him get to you…It's all my fault. I let him get to you…y-you're like him now…" He was staring at her, but he was still someplace else.

"Willie…" She pulled his head into her hands and pulled him close and kissed him softly on the forehead. "Willie come back." She kissed him a second time and his eyes finally came into focus and looked at her. He was confused.

"Just a dream Willie…" She guided him to lay back against the pillows. He fell asleep again and she decided then and there that it was time for a doctor. She ran back down the stairs and grabbed her keys to pull the car up closer to the house. She looked out the front window and saw that the early morning sun had melted much of the snow. She should be able to pull up now. She wasn't sure how she would get him to the car, but she would find a way.

She went to open the front door but couldn't get the knobs to turn. _Stuck? _She shook the door but they wouldn't budge.

"What the hell?" She tried again and again but each time they remained completely frozen. She rushed to the back door and almost fell as she tried to avoid the broken glass on the floor. She twisted the knob on the door and again the same result. It wouldn't budge.

"Shit SHIT" She twisted and pulled but again no movement. She ran to each of the windows and all of them were frozen shut.

"He wouldn't… he couldn't could he?" She returned to the great room and spun around it trying to figure out how this could be.

"This is crazy…" she ran back up the stairs into Willies room. He was still lying on the bed but she didn't notice that he was awake. She sat on the edge of the bed trying to figure out how this could happen.

"Locked… that crazy bastard locked us in?… how?" She was talking to herself … "Why? Why would he do that?"

"Hey" His voice was soft as he called to her. Abigail twisted around and was surprised to see him awake.

"Willie!... Hey…" she said softly. She walked over to him and sat down on the chair beside the bed. "How do you feel? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah…I'm okay…"

"Willie… this is going to sound crazy…but I can't get out of the house. I can't get the doors open…or the windows. I don't understand."

Willie knew exactly why. It didn't want them leaving the house. It knew she would try to take him out of there. He remembered Barnabas' words _You will not leave this house tomorrow do you understand? _Now he did, he understood all too well.

"What time is it?" Willie's voice was nervous.

"1:30"

"Abigail… I need to get you out of this house…"


	18. Chapter 18 - A Good Book

**A Good Book**

Willie attempted to get up out of the bed. He knew he needed to find a way to get her out before It returned, before it would be too late. He managed to slide himself to the side of the bed and dropped his bare feet down onto the cold floor before she stopped him.

"Stay… I'm sure I just didn't pull hard enough. These old houses, the doors get stuck all the time. I'm just on edge and so worried about you." She wished she wouldn't have said anything, it clearly upset him and she didn't want to do that.

"No—you should go…" Willie fought to try and stay sitting up but he wasn't able to. All of his strength had quite literally been sucked out of him and he knew that even if he did manage to stand he wouldn't make it to the stairs.

"Scoot over… let me hold you. You need your rest." She figured that if she couldn't leave the house she may as well stay with him as long as she could. She wanted him to stay calm and relax. She climbed in next to him and he gripped her around the waist as she stroked his hair. "Sleep… I'm here…just sleep. I need you here with me Willie do you understand? You can't leave me."

Willie gripped her tighter, which was still fairly weak. He loved her. He didn't want to but he did. It wasn't something he had a choice over. As he lay there he ached with the thought of a different life where he could leave that house and they could live a normal life. They would move far away from there he thought. Maybe even start a family in a home that was small and bright, and the lights would always be left on and he would play violin like his father. A talent that no other living soul knew he had.

* * *

Abigail waited until he fell asleep again and then thought about the basement. She carefully slipped out of the bed making sure not to wake him. She went downstairs and again tried the door to the basement, but it wouldn't budge. She then remembered all of the stuff that was in the attic and she decided that she would go explore up there while no one could stop her.

She headed to the kitchen remembering that she saw a flashlight sitting on the counter. She grabbed it and then climbed the back stairs to the attic. She flicked the flashlight on and with a slightly hesitant hand reached for the attic door. The knob turned and she opened the door and shined the flashlight in. The posts gave her the chills but she tried to ignore them.

She walked to the far corner of the attic that had not been explored. There she found several trunks, some locked and some open. She shined the flashlight against them when her eyes fell on a trunk that was definitely set apart from the others. It was oak and beautiful. A hand carved lion's head was on the front of it and was carved with great precision, a brass ring held in the lion's mouth. She slowly lifted the lid and illuminated the contents with the flashlight.

At first she didn't see much. There were a couple of child's dolls, several pieces of jewelry and a quilt that looked like it was completely decomposed. There was a piece of fabric that caught her eye in the corner. It was brown and silky, around the border of it there were embroidered pinkish colored flowers that had been sewn with great care. She stuck the flashlight under her chin and gripped it tightly there freeing her hands. She picked up the material and quickly found that it was in fact being used as a wrapping for something. Carefully she peeled the material from its contents and found a book.

Abigail put the fabric back in the trunk and grabbed the flashlight and shined it down on the book. It had a beautiful leather cover and was incredibly thick. She opened it and saw on the pages handwritten content. She flipped randomly through the pages and discovered that they were diary entries. All seemed to be fairly short. The inscription scrawled on the front page read:

_To those who I will leave behind I leave this chronicle. _

_~Joshua Collins_

Abigail was instantly intrigued. She sat on the floor and began to flip through and read some of the inscriptions.

_October 1st 1785_

_The work on the house is underway. It has been a great challenge to keep Barnabas away from the construction site, but he is a ten year old boy with much curiosity. Naomi will need to keep close watch on him. I am growing tired of waiting for this home. It is taking far too long. Naomi is also growing weary of our temporary housing. It will be a most joyous day when we can move into the home._

She continued to flip through the book randomly opening it to entries.

_December 12th 1786_

_Naomi's body is beginning to change. She is with child and we are happy to finally be in the new house. She worries constantly about Barnabas however. He has withdrawn himself from the family and has become increasingly violent. I fear the poor boy is afraid of adding a new child to the family. I hope he can adjust._

Abigail thought for a moment about Barnabas…_Barnabas?_

_June 29th 1787_

_Naomi is extremely ill and we all pray that she and the baby will be okay. It is difficult to see her this way and Barnabas has not left her side for days. I find him weeping next to her so afraid that she will leave him. It breaks my heart to see our boy this way._

Abigail's body tightened at the phrase 'our boy' … she continued to read. ..

_Unfortunately he has grown a hatred for the unborn child. He believes it is the new child's fault that his mother is so ill. God give us strength to pull through._

As Abigail read through several of the pages she was fascinated by it. She flipped to the middle of the book and noticed the date. She was impressed with the dedication that Joshua had with his entries, as brief as they were.

_December 23rd 1787_

_Naomi is excited to throw the Christmas party this year. The house is exquisite and she has outdone herself. Sara has decorated a special tree just for Barnabas' room. Their devotion to one another is a true blessing. Barnabas loves his sister more than I could have ever hoped. I know he will watch over her long after I am taken from this world. We are truly blessed._

Abigail thought about the small dresses she found in the trunks. _Sara's…_ A small smile showed up on her face at the thought of a child in this house. She continued to flip forward…

_February 10th 1794_

_Naomi refuses to wear any other color than black. It has been almost 6 months since Sara's death. Barnabas weeps every night in her room, clutching her doll to his heart. I do not know how to help with their grieving as my own grief swells in my heart. I miss my dearest girl Sara and a dark cloud hovers over this house. Her light extinguished far too soon._

As Abigail read the entry she was saddened. The room with the child's doll house and toys suddenly made sense. She imagined this family losing the child. It was heartbreaking.

_March 20th 1795_

_Barnabas is going to wed our dearest Josette. We are pleased; she will bring much needed joy to this house. Such a beautiful girl and spirit, I only hope Barnabas can be the man she wants him to be. She is bringing new life to a home that has much darkness._

She stopped reading… _Josette? _She started to think of the portrait in the room downstairs. _No…can't be…_

Abigail grabbed the book and decided she would continue her reading next to Willie. She had been up there too long already and she wanted to be close to him. She shut the trunk and closed the door to the attic and descended down the back stairs, the book tucked under her arm.

She walked back to Willie's room and when she entered he was still sleeping. She built the fire up and kissed him on the forehead before she sat down next to him in the chair and continued to read.

_May 7th 1795_

_There is something terribly wrong with Barnabas and I am worried. He never leaves his bedchamber during the day and he walks the halls of the house in the evenings as if he is haunting it. Josette is afraid of him and he is not himself. He has turned terribly pale and his appetite is all but gone. I fear for my boy and Naomi is worried sick. I cannot bear to lose another child._

Abigail was entranced with the entries and continued to flip forward randomly reading.

_June 14th 1795_

_Another servant girl has been found dead. This makes three in two weeks. The rest of the servants are in complete unrest. We have had several flee in the night. Several of the elder servants speak of the dark shadow that comes in the night and steals young women. Naomi wants to flee this house. She feels it is cursed and wishes to build a new home on the property._

Abigail continued to read. Her head was starting to spin from the entries. _This house IS full of darkness._

_August 14th 1795_

_I am struggling to hide his secret. There was so much blood; it sickens me to see what has happened to him. Josette's death has increased the frequency of the episodes. His appetite has grown rapidly and I don't know how long I can stomach the ferocious feedings. I love my son, but I know I will need to make a choice between him and the living soon._

Abigail read this entry over and over again. She was trying to process what she was reading. She then flipped to the last page.

_November 18th 1795_

_I could not do it. I am ashamed. I cannot kill my own son, but the monster that he has become is not of this world. I can no longer allow him to roam among the living. I will never forgive myself for what I have done as he will stay in that place for all eternity._

Abigail then read the last entry in the book.

_May God forgive Barnabas for what he has done. May God forgive me for not putting him to rest. May he remain hidden forever from the living, never to be found and allowed to roam this earth again as the monster he has become._

_I should have killed him._

Abigail read the last entries confused and then went back and read more to fill in some of the gaps. She wasn't sure what it was she was reading. It was unbelievable. Or was it?

She sat in the chair and looked on at Willie thinking about his sickness and the arrival of Barnabas. She thought about his strange need to stay with Barnabas. _No…this can't be true… this is comic book stuff…silly movie stuff… _

She was frightened at the possibility.

* * *

When Willie awoke he found Abigail sitting in the chair staring at him, he couldn't read the expression on her face. She was holding a book in her hands and just looking at him with a strange questioning look.

"Abby… you're still here… you should go…I'll be okay…really I will." Willie noticed her gaze was distant. "Abby… a-are you okay?" He noticed she was clutching a thick leather book. He didn't' recognize it.

"Abby…Abigail…what is it? " Willie tried to sit up in the bed worried about her. She was acting strange.

She looked at him and then looked at the book.

"May God help us." She spoke quietly looking down at the book she was holding in her hands.


	19. Chapter 19 - Running

**Running**

It emerged from the coffin and stepped out like a spider creeping off of its web. It could sense Willie was awake and It peeked into Willie's thoughts, which were frightened and confused as usual, but lately there were times when Barnabas found it difficult to get to the details of Willies thoughts and It didn't understand why. Usually it was so easy to read what Willie was thinking, but something was getting in the way.

Barnabas pulled out of Willies mind and thought of Abigail hovering over Willie and the memory pricked at his mind. He would not allow this kind of relationship for his servant, not when he had been denied it; Willie was not worthy of such love.

The vampires thoughts shifted again back to Willie. Barnabas was irritated that he completely misjudged how much he took from Willie in the last feeding. Getting a taste of the girl made the vampire's blood lust boil inside of him. Barnabas had been trying to refrain from stealing young girls in the night. It still had terrifying memories of the first few months after It had turned, sneaking into the servants quarters in the dark. It was a memory Barnabas was not fond of. But getting a taste of Abigail, as small a taste as it was, made him crave the fresh taste of vibrant human blood and he couldn't help himself. Barnabas thought that perhaps the cold had something to do with it, perhaps it caused the blood to flow faster than normal.

It walked up the stairs and entered the great room. It wasn't sure what It would do with the girl, but one thing was certain, she needed to be out of Willie's life, one way or another.

* * *

Abigail was still sitting in the chair staring at Willie, not saying a word. How could she possibly believe a single thing it that book? But why would someone write such crazy things, it had to be true.

"W-what? What is it? Abby please…" Willie had a desperate look on his face.

She looked around the room and then finally rested her gaze back on the book. Fear was building within her like a slow approaching storm.

"Abby please…say something...anything…what is that? " Willie knew something was wrong but she wasn't giving anything away.

Abigail stood up and walked over to him and gently lifted his head and turned it, inspecting his neck on all sides.

"Wha- what… what are you doing?" Willie flinched when she brushed her hand against his neck.

She then lifted his left arm and pulled the sleeve up and looked at his wrist. Her silence was suffocating.

"Abby No…" She reached for his right arm and Willie pulled it back close to his chest. Abigail paused for a moment and then reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"NO!"

She pulled it with some force and lifted the cuff. Willie's face went white. The guttural sound that she made was mixed with fear and sadness. There were two small, oddly shaped punctures. They looked like they were healing, but it was difficult to tell. She let go of his hand and it dropped back down on his chest. Abby began to slowly back away from him, the expression on her face changing to one of fear.

Willies eyes filled with terror. He looked down at his wrist and then back up at her. She just stared at him and continued to back up, her eyes filled with tears. She was afraid of him.

"Oh God Abby… Abby please…" He sat up and started to plead with her. "I-its not what you think… God…Abby please say something."

Abby continued to back up, her thoughts were confused and her breaths were shaky, she found it difficult to swallow. She yelped as she backed up into something and quickly turned to find Barnabas.

"Ms. Chilton…" Barnabas grabbed her to steady her and then looked over at Willie. "… And how is our boy tonight?" Barnabas seemed calm, but inside It was still raging about the thought of the two of them together.

Abigail wiped the tears from her eyes before they had a chance to escape and then reached down and slid the book into her purse.

"I-I'm okay… I'm fine. Feeling better" Willie answered quickly. He looked at her and inside he felt as if he was being torn apart.

Abigail was frozen for a moment in fear, staring at the dark figure. _It can't be…Oh God…I need to get out of this house._

"I-I need to go Mr. Collins." Her words were short and emotionless and they cut through Willie.

Barnabas was surprised. That was not the reaction he expected to get from her. It was expecting a confrontation about the locked doors and a plea to stay with the boy.

"I have much to do and I think Willie is doing better." She spoke as if she were reading an encyclopedia…she glanced over at Willie, _is he one of them too?_

Willie sat there in the bed, his heart racing.

"Of course, I will walk you out. " Her demeanor was strange, she seemed distant. Barnabas was puzzled by her.

"Abby…ABBY!" Willie was trying to pull himself off of the bed.

Abigail turned to him and in the briefest of voices simply said goodnight. She then turned and rushed down the hall and down the stairs.

Barnabas stood in the great room and watched inquisitively while Abigail quickly pulled her coat on.

"Mr. Collins… I almost forgot…I broke a couple of mugs in the kitchen. I forgot about them, they are in pieces on the floor. I can pick them up if you like?" Abigail was attempting to act polite and respectful, trying desperately not to upset the thing in front of her. She still wasn't sure of what it was she was dealing with.

"Not necessary Ms. Chilton. I can manage to clean it up. You didn't cut yourself did you?"

"N-no .. I am fine. I just need to grab my things." Abigail rushed around the great room picking up her mittens and scarf. When she turned to leave she saw Willie attempting to make his way down the stairs.

"Abby please…" tears rolled down Willie's face and Abigail couldn't look at him. She turned away and went to open the door.

"Mr. Collins…your doors seem to be locked." She said it in a quiet voice, at the moment she had no desire to question why It locked her in during the day or even how. She just wanted to get out of that house.

Barnabas strolled over to the door, completely ignoring Willie who was now sitting on the bottom step of the staircase. With the flick of Its wrist it opened the door and a rush of cold air blew in, carrying with it a dusting of snow over the threshold.

Abigail gripped her purse and rushed out the door, but as she left she couldn't help but turn to look back at Willie. He was completely shattered sitting on the bottom step, his hands entwined in his hair staring down at his feet. She wanted to run back to him in that moment but fear stood in front of her and she turned and ran through the snow and down the driveway to her car.

She fumbled for the keys and finally managed to get them in the ignition and pulled away into the darkness, leaving Willie alone with It.

* * *

"Well Willie…the day must have been quite eventful. Am I to assume that the two of you have gotten into some kind of disagreement? What a pity." Barnabas stood there looking down at Willie…

"S-shut up. Just shut up! You … you of all things should know what it is like to have your time with someone cut short! You know firsthand! Is there n-nothing? Nothing left inside you? H-have you completely forgotten what it feels like to be human?"

"Willie, you bore me. Return to your room I have no need for you tonight." It dismissed him and turned and stared out the front window. It was pleased with the evening so far, It was happy to see her leave.

Willie gathered all his strength and pulled himself up, he again gripped the banister and dragged himself back up the stairs and made his way back to his room. He collapsed in the chair and just stared at the fireplace. He sat in silence for nearly an hour before he heard talking echo from Josette's room. The sound made him sick and the sour knot that he grew so familiar with returned.

* * *

Abigail rushed into her apartment, her eyes swollen from crying. She locked the door quickly, ripped her coat off and climbed into the corner of the couch, grabbing the big fluffy red blanket up to her. She could still smell some of Willie's soap on it and she started to sob into the blanket. She was so confused and frightened. The image of the girl that came into the Blue Whale covered in blood and screaming popped into her head. She then thought of Willie screaming when she first met him after he fell from the ladder. There were so many strange things that had happened and if she let herself actually believe what she had read it all started to make sense.

She lay on the couch and a deep sadness pulled over her, thoughts of Willie consumed her until she eventually fell into a dark sleep.

When morning came the sun beat into the living room window and Abigail woke up finding herself still on the couch gripping onto the blanket. _If Barnabas was really a monster then Willie must be one too._ The things she read were horrific scenes and she was petrified. _What if they come after me…_

There was a part of her that also thought it could all be a hoax. Some made up story that was written as a prank. She looked at the book and made the gut wrenching decision to walk away from the entire thing. She loved Willie, but the possibility of Willie being like the monster in the book was overwhelming and she didn't know how to deal with the situation. She was going to run from this just as she did when she didn't want to deal with Nick. Running was something she was accustomed to when things got difficult. Abigail stashed the book in the kitchen drawer and decided that she would pour herself into her work instead.

* * *

Willie lay in bed, the sun was shining through the small window. He slept a little that evening, but the majority of his night was spent wondering what Abigail was thinking. _Does she know? How…how can she know?_

He went to stand and found he had more strength than he had before. The after effects of the ferocious feeding were slowly disappearing. Willie grabbed his clothes and things to wash up with and went about his normal routine. But normal wasn't so normal this morning. He was devastated that she left the way that she did. _She must know…_ Willie knew that if she did in fact know what It was she was in more danger than ever.

Willie walked down to the kitchen and dropped his things on the counter and built a fire in the kitchen fireplace. When he turned to grab his things he found a note on the table.

_Willie_

_I was fortunate to find the truck last night abandoned._

_I have brought it back, you will go into town and _

_purchase new tools to complete this house._

_There is a surprise for you in the great room. _

_You will complete it before the sun sets._

_You cannot escape me Willie. _

Willie finished washing the grime of the days before off of him and went to see what his surprise might be. He entered the great room and there in the middle was a dressing table.

"Well shit." Willie muttered under his breath. It was the most broken down looking dressing table he had ever seen. Years of filth covered it and there were deep scratches across most of it. It would be impossible to restore this stupid table, let alone by nightfall.

He grabbed his coat and walked out and found the pale blue truck sitting in the driveway. It looked like it had been through a war zone. Willie walked up to it and there were dents and scratches all over it. The front bumper was barely on. Willie reached down and just ripped it off and threw it into the snow.

"Piece of shit." He opened the cab door and the seats had been slashed in places and it reeked of weed and lucky strikes. The keys were in the ignition. Willie hopped in and turned the key and it started right up. Willie thought that this must be the most indestructible piece of crap on four wheels that ever existed.

* * *

Barnabas crept into the great room to find Willie bent over the dressing table. It didn't say anything, It just snuck up behind him and grabbed him by the shoulder. Willie jumped out of his skin and spun around.

"Christ Barnabas…" Willie wiped his hair out of his eyes, leaving a stripe of stain across his forehead.

"Is it complete?"

"N-no … it is going to need several more days … I-It's a big job Barnabas. Lots of repair is needed." Willie returned to working on it, even though it was getting dark and he was having difficulty seeing.

"Very well."

The nights passed and the mornings came and with each passing day Willie grew more and more distant. He spoke very little to Barnabas, answering in single words when asked a question. All he could think about was her. She clearly decided to leave and not come back. Whatever it was she found out made her stay away from that house and from him. His emotions were torn, he knew it was best for her to stay away, but he also thought that she loved him and he was heartbroken that she could simply walk away. He decided that perhaps she didn't care for him the way he thought, he imagined something that wasn't there.

Willie moved around the house and did as he was told. There were only a few beatings that he had to endure and only one serious one which left him with a noticeable gash on his cheek. He had that damned dressing table to thank for that one when he broke one of the small birds that was attached on the top of it. A single blow to his head that dropped him down to his knees and down the back stairs was his reward for that project.

Willie had fallen into a despair that weighed every inch of his body down into hell. It was worse than anything he could have imagined. He wished he would never have met Abigail. He loved her and when he lost her he lost himself and any reason to hold on. He lived each day with the hope that his torment would come to an end.

Barnabas grew tired of it too.

"I'm sick of your moping around here..." It would say to him and Willie's response was simple.

"Then kill me."

* * *

Abigail woke up each day and went through the motions but she felt completely empty inside. At night she was having nightmares of horrible monsters tearing the throats out of young girls and then would have one final image of Willie broken down on the stairs in the old house, blood covering his wrists and hands. _He can't be one of them… it just can't be true… _

She sat down in the kitchen and stared at the candy dish that still held the butterscotch candies and remembered Thanksgiving and him holding her tight on the couch. Her heart had been in pieces since she left him. She grabbed one of the candies and popped it into her mouth. She hated the fact that she had abandoned him and ran, she thought that he must hate her for that, she walked away from him and left him at Its mercy. She wondered if Barnabas had tortured him again and if Willie was slowly turning into a monster himself. The thought frightened her.

As she sat there she realized that she couldn't run this time, she loved him, she needed to stop running. She needed to know, she needed to find out if the story was true. Abigail then swung around and pulled out the book from the kitchen drawer and laid it down in front of her on the kitchen table. She stared at it for a while and hesitated before she began thumbing through the book looking for a specific entry.

_November 12__st__ 1795_

_The room is complete. The Lions head has been put in place and only from the ring will anyone ever be able to enter. I do not know what kind of hell I am about to put my son through for all of eternity, but he is no longer my son. He has turned into something else. This is the only way. My only comfort is that he will be close to Sara. God forgive me. May he never be found and unleashed on the world._

Abigail tried to pick apart the entry. She thought about where this might be. She knew that Sara had passed away by this time, that meant that this secret place was somewhere near her. She needed to find out where she was buried. There were several cemeteries in town but her most probable option was the one on Eagle Hill. It was closest to the Collins estate and to her knowledge the oldest. She had to know if this place existed, she would go exploring today to find out.

Abigail pulled up to the cemetery but the snow was too high to pull into the gates. She parked the car on the side of the road walked out into the snow and trudged through looking for the little girls grave. She walked around the cemetery for over an hour when she came upon a mausoleum. It dawned on her that the Collins family would not be buried with the general public.

"Idiot…of course." She berated herself for not realizing it sooner. Abigail walked up the stairs to the mausoleum and entered. There were three coffins there and the name plates revealed that she was in the right place. She looked around and held her breath when she saw a familiar sight. The lions head, just like the one on the chest, was on the wall staring right at her. _Don't run…don't run Abby… _

She talked to herself over and over again trying to get the courage to pull on the ring. She reached her hands up and they were shaking, but she continued. She pulled on the ring and when the wall began to move she jumped back and fell down, never taking her eyes off of the moving wall.

After it opened she stood up and cautiously peeked in. The sunlight lit the room dimly but she could see a coffin in the middle of the room. The fear she had at this moment was stronger than she had ever experienced, but she had to know. She walked into the room and ran her hand up and down the coffin, she said a small prayer before she lifted the lid.

"Empty…thank God!" It was empty, only torn satin hanging from the lid and ripped satin cushions in the bottom. She closed the lid and started to walk out when her foot kicked something on the floor. She reached down and picked it up.

"A belt? How odd…" She looked at the belt closely and saw initials on the back of the metal buckle. "W.L." She dropped it instantly on the ground. _No…NO!_

She exited the room and closed the door, pulling on the ring in the lion's mouth again. She couldn't get out of that cemetery fast enough. She saw all she needed to, she believed the book was real. Barnabas was a monster. But what she didn't know for sure was what Willie was and she was scared to find out.

Abigail rushed back to her car. It was almost one and she needed to be at the Library for a meeting. She was thankful that she would have something to distract her. She would deal with her findings quietly at home.

* * *

Abigail was standing in front of the library with a group of people discussing how to go about the restoration of the building when her heart jumped into her throat. She heard people talking but she was no longer listening. For the first time in almost three weeks she caught a glimpse of Willie walking quickly into the hardware store. An ache penetrated every part of her and she almost started to cry on the spot. She needed to see him, to talk to him. She excused herself from the group and walked to the parking lot where his truck was parked. She hid behind several of the cars waiting for him to return back to his truck. She was nervous and slightly afraid about confronting him, but she just had to know and had to see him.

* * *

Willie rushed to the store keeping his head down and trying to just get in and out quickly. He was oblivious to the fact that anyone was watching him.

He grabbed his things, paid quickly with the money that Barnabas had given him and tried to ignore the fact that one of the kids from the night in the woods was checking him out.

Willie rushed back to the parking lot and put the things in the truck; when he turned around there she was and his heart swelled with unease. She was wearing her long winter coat and her hair was smashed underneath her wool hat. It was almost as if his heart stopped and the world froze around them for just a moment. His stomach flopped at the sight of her and he didn't say a word but his eyes said it all for him.

Abigail spoke quietly in a shaky voice. "Are you one of them? … Are…Are you like him?" She braced herself for the answer as she stared into his frightened pale blue eyes.

Willie sobbed out a sigh as he spoke. "N-No... I'm not like him. I-I'm…I'm Its prisoner Abby…"

Abigail continued to stare at him and then emotion ran over her like a ferocious storm and she couldn't hold back. She rushed at him and threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him over. She gripped Willie tight as she cried into his shoulder.

Willie thought he would never feel her close again and when she embraced him relief swept over him. He couldn't stop the tears either and they flowed down his cheeks. He wrapped his hands in her hair and just pulled her close.

They embraced each other for what seemed like forever and finally Abigail pulled back. Willie wiped her tears away with his hands and just looked at her.

Abigail reached up and ran her mitten over the gash on his cheek.

"What did he do? Oh Willie… Oh God I…I left you with him. I just left you alone with It." She again embraced him and buried her head in his chest. She began to sob between muffled words. "I'm so sorry…Oh God I left you with that monster… alone. You must hate me…" She was gripping onto his sleeves when he lifted her head up to look at him.

"Stop it…stop …I- I love you Abby …"

She threw her arms around him again and they stood out in the cold parking lot together embracing as if they would never see each other again.

"I'm scared Abby." Willie whispered into her hair. "He is capable of unthinkable things; I know firsthand what he can do." Abigail started to cry again at the torment he must have gone through. "If something happens to you I will have nothing, it will rip my soul out. You should leave this town."

Abigail reached up and held Willies face between her mittens and burned a hole into his soul with the intensity of her stare. "You hold on to me Willie Loomis…do you hear me?… I won't let him have you. I'll never let him have you….This is the beginning of the end. No more running."


	20. Chapter 20 - A New Game

**A New Game**

Willie placed his hands over hers and pulled them from his face, shaking his head.

"No Abby…No you need to leave this place. Go - go back to Chicago. You don't know what he is capable of…" Before Willie could finish his thought his head began to pound.

Willie threw his hands up to his head and winced. During the first month or two of Willie's imprisonment he didn't realize when It was penetrating into his mind, he didn't put the symptoms together. But now Willie knew. He would first get a shooting pain that would run through his temples and it would make him nauseous, it was then that the steady pounding would start. Once the pounding began Willie knew it was looking into his thoughts. There was nothing he could do to stop it, and until recently he had no reason to stop it. His thoughts before Abby were usually cursing the old house, or himself. He thought often of death and regret for the kind of life he led. All things that the beast already knew. But lately the stakes were higher. He thought of Abigail constantly and he didn't want It to know for fear that It would go after her. Willie started to see if he could block It. If he could somehow think of only the task he was doing until the vampire would retreat from within his mind. It seemed to be working but with Abigail standing in front of him and her knowledge of what he was Willie wasn't sure he could manage. Willie turned away from her and bent over with his head in his hands.

As he turned several people were walking back to their cars and staring at him. Abigail could hear them muttering under their breath about what a lowlife he was and it infuriated her. She spun around and confronted them.

"I'm sorry… do you even know this man? Have you ever ONCE tried to talk to him, or get to know him? Do you have any idea who he really is? Or do you just listen to everyone else? You people make me sick." The small group stood there just staring at her and one gentleman took a step towards her.

"I know that the guy is scum. A leopard never changes his spots and you would do a whole lot better to stay the hell away from him. I know you are the one fixing all the rundown buildings here in town but let me let you in on a little secret. That guy…that guy right there…is broken beyond repair. He is damaged goods my dear." The gentleman then turned back to the group. "Come on lets go…"

Abigail yelled to him as they walked away… "You sir are a pompous ass!"

When Abigail turned around she saw Willie now kneeling in the snow and slush.

"Get out…get out!" Willie repeated the words over and over, trying not to think of anything else. Not of Abigail or the fact that she knew. The pounding grew more and more intense "Please stop…" Willie tried to think about anything other than her, he thought about the snow and how dirty it was, he thought about his shoes…the tires on the truck.

"What? What is it? Willie?"

She dropped down beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he thought instantly of her. _No…NO! _Willie squeezed his eyes shut tight and tried to block her out, he shifted his thoughts again to memories from his first days with the Vampire, he replayed them over and over until finally he felt It pull out of his mind and release him.

"Willie…are you okay?" She helped him up. "Come on…let's walk back to my apartment, your pants are soaked.

Willie agreed and it was early, he had time before he had to be back. He thought maybe he could convince her to leave.

They walked into the apartment and Abigail gave him a pair of sweatpants that Alex had left there to put on.

"I'll be right back… there is tea in the kettle…it's a bit cold."

She left to go to the laundry room to dry his pants and Willie sat down at the table and grabbed one of the candies sitting in the dish. It actually tasted good to him and he sat back looking around the kitchen. Her purse was half open on the table and he noticed the book that was falling out of it. It was the same book she was holding the night she fled from the old house. He thought about grabbing it, but decided against it. When she returned she saw him staring at it.

"A diary. I found it in the attic. It belonged to Barnabas' father."

"Abby stop…d-don't tell me anymore…" Willie stood up and circled the room throwing his hands through his hair. "God you are in so much danger. You – you need to leave, I mean it. He'll kill you. He can read my thoughts Abby… there are times when he can control my actions."

"Then we'll kill him first."

"Awe Abby don't you think I've tried? I've tried so many times…but I can't. I tried killing myself but It won't let me."

Abigail's face went white at the thought and again she lost her composure.

Willie walked to her and again wiped the tears from her eyes. "You need to go. All I care about is that you are safe. I need to know you're safe Abby." Willie reached into his pocket and pulled a hundred dollar bill that Barnabas had given him for the days purchases. "Here…it's not much but it's enough to get you out of town. Go back to Chicago."

Abigail stared into the icy blue of his eyes "How? How can I leave you? I'm in love with you !"

"If you don't leave we'll both be dead. Look… it's my fault that I am in this hellish place and it will be my fault if he hurts you."

"No Willie…NO! It's not your fault!"

"Hell Abby… I let him out… It's true what they say about me. I was robbing a grave Abby! A fucking grave! I sunk about as low as a person can go… you don't want to be with me. That's how I found him ya know…and my sickening greed is what caused me to release that monster back into this world." Willie was now sitting down on the couch, his legs bouncing uncontrollably with his head in his hands.

Abigail sat down next to him and pulled him closer to her resting one of her hands on his knees. He started to calm down and she lifted his head to meet hers. She looked deep into his eyes and tears began to well.

"I'll go." Two little words that flushed sadness and relief through Willie.

"Y-you'll go?"

"Yes…if that's what you want I'll go"

"Oh Abby it-it's not what I want… what I want…God…what I want is to curl up in that blanket with you every night and watch tv until we fall asleep. I want to be able to eat a real meal with you and take you to dinner and think about how much I love you when you toss you head back and laugh. None of that is possible… so I have ask for the only thing I can. I want you to be safe."

The tears again streamed down her face and she shook her head in agreement.

"I'll go."

* * *

Willie returned to the old house, his purchases made. When he left Abigail she was putting a list of things together that she needed to do before she returned to Chicago. He objected to her taking the time, but she was stubborn and wouldn't listen. If he had his way she would have been on the next plane out of Maine. But she promised to leave as soon as possible, Willie just hoped it was soon enough.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet. A strange mix of feelings overwhelmed Willie and he just went numb rather than try and sort through them. He focused on the task at hand, the pump in the kitchen had broken again.

As the sun set he could hear It calling for him from the basement. Willie turned and wiped his hands on the towel and walked into the great room.

Barnabas called Willie again and with a sigh of hesitation Willie walked down the stairs. He looked around to find the coffin open but no sign of It. The oil lamps that were lit on the walls were providing a dim flicker that made Willie uneasy. He walked around the coffin and could hear his name being called. It was coming from one of the many dark hallways that lead from the main room of the dank cellar. Willie didn't bring a flashlight with him and there were no candelabras that he could use.

"Willie Come. NOW!"

He would have to go in the dark.

Willie's heart started to pound as he slowly disappeared into the darkness of the hallway where It was calling him from. He couldn't see anything and stretched his arms out using his hands to guide his way down the tunnel. The bricks were wet and slimy.

Willie had been down in the tunnels before, there were a maze of them that ran under the old house and he often wondered what they were used for. He avoided them completely.

"Barnabas?" Willie called out to It and continued to walk through no will of his own. It was pulling him into the dark. As he continued down the hall his hands ran off of the walls and his footing was lost to the unseen step down. Willie threw his hands down to break his fall and landed on the ground. There was no floor, just dirt. Willie sat up and called out.

"Barnabas…w-where are you?" As Willie asked the question he was pushed back down to the ground, his face hitting the dirt floor. Barnabas had him pinned, Its knee pressing down on Willie's neck and the rest of Its body sitting over him. It pulled Willies wrists and began to tape them tightly together, wrapping the tape around his wrists and hands.

"B-Barnabas… what – what are you doing?" Willie struggled against It trying to get up and attempting to pull his hands apart as they were fastened together. The vampire then pulled him up to his feet and grabbed the back of Willies belt and attached something to it.

"Please! Wh-what are you doing? What did I do? I didn't do anythin' wrong! B-Barnabas…What did I do? "

Willie stood there in the dark when he was dragged backwards by the rope that was tied to the back of his belt. Barnabas had fastened the rope to one of the cement pillars in the room.

"Shit! What the hell? Wh-what…what the fuck are you doing?" Willie tried to pull his hands apart but couldn't. He reached back behind him but couldn't do anything to pull away. He pulled as hard as he could as his belt pushed hard into his stomach.

"Shit! Barnabas!" Willie reached down and tried to undo his belt, but with his hands completely wrapped it was impossible.

Without warning It then gripped Willie by the neck and began to silence him by wrapping the tape around his head and mouth. Willie tried to fight It off but as always he was no match for It. The tape was tight and Willie was screaming beneath it.

It then stood in front of him, Willie couldn't see him but he could feel Its breath in his face.

"Willie…for some reason you are blocking me. You are hiding something from me and I won't have it. You belong to me Willie and I am going to find out." Willie continued to scream and try and pull away from the pillar.

"Down here Willie there is nothing. Nothing but darkness and deafening silence. Only you and your thoughts… a great place for a little thinking time. I know how you hate the dark and I know how you hate to be restrained. You won't be able to block me down here Willie. Eventually you will give in. You are weak. Your fear will get the better of you and you will betray whatever secret it is that you have. You will stay down here until you relent. I don't expect it to take long."

Barnabas exited the room leaving the screaming and frightened young man alone in the darkness.

Willie was standing and pulling trying to get loose when he lost his footing and fell to the dirt floor. _Shit! _He again rose to his feet and tried to feel his way to where the rope was tied. He managed to find the pillar but couldn't see a damn thing. He again went for his belt thinking all he had to do was take it off. It was so simple, but Barnabas had made his hands useless by wrapping them and he couldn't manage to get at it.

_Fuck! _The sharp pain shot through his temples and Willie instantly dropped down to the ground. The pounding began and Willie tried to block It. He was lying on the floor, his knees pulled into his chest and his hands pulled up to his face. He recited in his mind over and over the only thing he could remember. A stupid jingle from a commercial he had heard on the radio driving back from Abigail's.

_There is just one Schlitz yeah yeah.._

_Nothing else comes near…_

_When you're out of Schlitz…_

_You're out of beer…_

He recited it over and over until finally the thing pulled from his mind. Willie lay on the ground in the dark sobbing, this was only the beginning of this game, and if he lost she would be dead.


	21. Chapter 21: Secret

**Secret**

Willie lay on the dirt floor in silence. He could hear the scurry of what he could only assume were rats or mice. He sat up and backed himself against the pillar that he was anchored to. The silence was horrific and the darkness petrified him. He stood up and started to walk slowly away from the pillar, holding his hands out in front of him, he didn't know what direction he was going in. He counted his steps as he walked, one foot in front of the other. He made it 7 feet before his belt tightened and tugged around his waist. He pulled, trying to lunge himself forward but it was no use. He yelled at Barnabas from behind the tape and dropped again down to the floor trying to somehow get his belt off. It wasn't long before the piercing pain shot through his head…_ No…I won't let you in! I WON'T!_

The pounding began and it was relentless. Willie focused this time on anger, yelling at Barnabas even though no words were clear. _How can you do this? You BASTARD! You can't do this...ya can't! To leave someone down here is inhuman, but I guess that fits ya doesn't it. I didn't do anythin' wrong! I have done everythin' you have told me to do. EVERYTHING! And the truck… NOT MY FAULT! The stupid piece of shit dressing table? Some kid used it as a coloring board, you should be so lucky to have it look as good as it does. And what exactly is the dead girl in the picture going to do with it anyway? _ The ranting continued and not a single thought of Abigail emerged. When It pulled Its tendrils out from his mind he couldn't help himself but to start to cry.

After a while he sat up and wiped the tears away with his arms. He realized that there would most likely be serious repercussions from the previous outburst. He didn't care. Willie pushed himself once again backwards until he found the pillar and slumped against it, closing his eyes surrounded in the dead silence. As he sat there he could hear the faintest of noises. A thumping noise… He strained to hear it at first but the noise gradually got louder and louder until it was somewhere in the room with him.

_Thump ..Thump…Thump .. Thump…._

The sound repeated over and over, it sounded like a ball bouncing against the wall and floor. It was a minute or two before a voice broke in.

"You musta been pretty bad huh." _Thump…Thump…._

Willie sat frozen, his eyes wide open looking into nothingness.

"Whatever you did he must be pretty mad at you…" It was a little girl's voice.

_Thump..Thump…Thump..Thump…._

"He's not nice when he's mad." Tears of pure terror began to spill down Willie's cheeks and muffled sobs began as he strained to see anything other than darkness.

"Awe mister don't cry…it's gonna be alright…grownups ain't supposed ta cry…" The bouncing stopped.

Willie stood up against the pillar. He began to frantically rub his hands against the cement in hopes to break though the tape and get them free. _Come on… COME ON! _

"You won't get free until he wants you to..that's the way it works in this house. You better just do what he says…" Willie turned and looked over his shoulder into the pitch black. The little girl didn't say another word. Willie slid down the pillar bringing his knees up to his chest and his hands up to his face desperately trying to hold on.

* * *

Abigail sat at the table going through all the paperwork that she needed to turn in to keep the restoration projects going. She didn't know if she was leaving forever, but she was smart enough to know that she should leave for a while. It broke her heart to leave Willie there but deep down she knew he was right, she was no match for It. She decided to turn things in tomorrow to the historical society and take a leave of absence.

Abigail climbed into bed and she had dreams of her and Willie together in a tiny little apartment somewhere together in a big city, just the two of them. She thought of waking up to him in the mornings and brushing her fingers through his hair watching him finally sleep without nightmares. These dreams carried her through the morning and when she woke the smile on her face faded as the reality came spinning into focus. The memory of the dreams faded. She knew she would leave today and didn't know when she would see him again so she decided to pack up her things and before she would catch the train to the airport she would stop and say goodbye. She had the new knowledge of what Barnabas was and she knew he would not be there during the day. Her assumptions led her to believe that he was in fact in the basement.

There were random sparks of bravery that would rush through her as she packed. Thoughts of breaking into the basement and just kill It would spark but the sparks went out as quick as they came. She was worried about endangering Willie in any way, and she was still afraid of the fact that Willie was in some way under Its control and she didn't know to what extent.

Abigail grabbed her suitcases as she walked out and from the corner of her eye noticed the flashlight on the counter, she grabbed it and stuck it in her pocket.

After running her final errands it was almost noon, a little later than she expected, but she just couldn't bring herself to leave without seeing him one more time so she headed to the old house.

* * *

The vampire drove hard into Willies mind again and Willie kept his thoughts of Abigail at bay. He focused this time on the strange visit from the little girl. _Who is the little girl? Who is It? She knows you…She knows all about you! Who-who is she? Was she yours? Your daughter maybe? Did you kill her? I bet you killed that poor girl. Is that how she knows? Did she belong to Josette? Who is she? She was here! _Willie continued on this topic until it again released him.

Willie lay on the ground and fell asleep, but never for more than thirty minutes or an hour. Into the night and morning it interrupted him burrowing deep into his head. He had somehow managed to keep her from his thoughts with the exception of the very last invasion. The unwanted visitor tunneled in and Willie thought of Abigail. Not of what she knew, but of how he felt about her. _Please Barnabas…I love her. I know you know what it is like to love someone. I love her in the way you love Josette. You loved her and she was taken away from you. You never got the chance. All I want is the chance to be with her. You know how it feels… I don't want it taken away again. Please…please. I will continue to work for you. I'll do whatever you ask, you can continue to feed off me…just let me be with her. _This was a topic that apparently was not one It wanted to hear and It retreated quickly from his mind.

Willie pulled himself up again and just sat in the middle of the floor, his bound hands hanging in his lap. He had no idea how long he had been there or if it were day or night.

* * *

Abigail pulled up to the old house, much of the snow had gone but the sky was dark and cloudy. It was unseasonably warm and it began to rain. She got out of the car and walked to the porch, knocking and getting no response. Willie's truck was parked in the driveway so she knew he was there. She banged harder and harder when she was interrupted by a voice behind her.

"Ain't no one gonna answer."

Abigail spun around to find a little girl standing in the rain. She was oddly dressed in old clothes and Abigail swore she had seen the dress before.

"Hi there." Abigail walked down towards her, the rain falling now on both of them. "Honey are you lost? Do you live around here?"

The little girl shook her head as if disappointed in Abigail.

"No one is gonna answer. He got in trouble. My brother must be real mad at him."

Abigail turned her head confused… "Honey who…who got in trouble?"

"The man who fixed my doll house. He has the blonde hair."

Abigail looked hard at her dress and suddenly recognized it from one of the dresses she looked at in the attic. _My brother?...the diary… shit…Sara! _ She thought to herself how absurd it was that she was actually talking to a ghost, but she then realized she was also running from a vampire. Her idea of what is real or possible had drastically changed in the course of the last few weeks.

"Honey… Sara… do you know where the man is? Can you show me where he is?"

"He is soooo sad… he was crying… I tried to tell him he would be ok but I don't think he believed me."

Abigail swallowed back a sob and her heart twinged; she tried not to panic. She didn't want to frighten the child.

"Honey I can make him feel better. Where is he? Where can I find him?" Abigail was now kneeling down in front of the girl, the rain soaking into her clothes.

"He's under the house, but you can't get in that way. It's always locked. You have to go the secret way."

"A secret way? Ohh that sounds like fun. Can you show me that way? I won't tell anyone."

The little girl waved her hand to Abigail and walked towards the path that led down the cliff to the beach. Abigail quickly followed the little girl down the path to the beach and through the rocks until they reached what seemed like a dead end. Sara pulled away the vines and exposed a small opening in the cliff.

"You can get in here. Don't tell my brother I told you…he would be mad. I don't like it when he is mad."

Abigail walked up to the opening and then turned as she spoke. "No honey…I won't tell…our secret I prom…."

When she turned the girl was gone.

Abigail walked into the opening and it was pitch black. She was glad she grabbed the flashlight. _Please let him be ok…oh Willie… I'm coming…_

She walked through a dark tunnel and shined her flashlight against the walls. A green film covered them and they were wet to the touch. The tunnel was dark and to her dismay the flashlight only brought a small portion of the space into view. She continued to walk shining the light at the ground and it was dirt, reddish in color. As the beam hit the corners she could see rats scurry to get back and disappear into the darkness. She was frightened walking through there and then she was met with a fork in the tunnel. She had no idea what way to go. She shined the light down both openings but they both looked the same; endless and dark.

She wandered the tunnels for a lifetime and she started to panic. She shined the flashlight on her watch and it was a little after one. She had been walking aimlessly around for almost an hour and a half; panic set in.

Abigail rushed down another connecting tunnel and it led to what looked like a cavernous room. She shined the flashlight around the walls, the room was huge and it had multiple cement pillars throughout it. Unfortunately the flashlight lit only where it hit the wall or the floor and the rest of the room disappeared into the pitch dark. She shined the flashlight up to the ceiling and it was high and arched, thick cobwebs covering almost every inch of it. She then shined the light against one of the pillars and saw a rope wrapped around it. _What the hell? _She slowly followed the rope from the pillar across the floor until the light landed on a dark figure balled up on the ground. She started to shake as she walked closer and in an instant she recognized his jacket.

"Willie? Oh My God Willie!?"

Willie slowly opened his eyes and as her face came into focus his eyes grew wide and he scurried to sit up shaking his head. _No NO ! _

With that the shooting pain came back. _NO! _

"Willie… what did he do to you? He's a monster…" She dropped down to her knees and pulled the tape from his mouth. She wiped the tears from his face with her hands. "Oh Willie…"

Willie pulled his hands up pleading with her to leave. Her face winced when she saw the bindings.

"Abigail…Oh God you have to leave…run…now! You need to go. He's in my thoughts Abby…right now. He knows you are here. Shit! He knows you know…" Willie couldn't stop himself and the thoughts started to flow.

"I'm so sorry… my God leave me please! I'll be okay… run! NOW! You don't have much time!"

Abigail's heart started to pound. "I-I can't! I can't leave you!" Abigail was grabbing onto his coat and tenderly stroking his face. "I can't leave you like this…how can I possibly leave?" She then pulled at the tape around his hands and frantically ripped it off.

Willie stood up and motioned her to go. "Just…Just Go Abby!"

"No I can't"

"P-PLEASE! Abby I'm begging you!" Willie gently pushed her away from him. "Go! NOW!"

Abigail backed up holding the flashlight on him as she backed down the tunnel. "Willie!" She was crying as she left him.

"Go Abby. It's okay. I'll be okay… Please…go as fast as you can."

"Willie…I love you so much…I'm so sorry…I'll come back. I swear I'll be back!" With that she ran as fast as she could down the tunnel. She found her way out quicker than her way in and when she hit the opening to the beach the rain was whipping around and stung when it hit her face. She didn't have much time…


	22. Chapter 22 - Deep Breath

**Deep Breath**

Abigail ran up the trail back to the old house, if she fell once she fell a hundred times and by the time she reached her car she was covered in mud. She pulled open her car door and screamed when she was abruptly pulled back. She turned and exhaled relief to find that her jacket got caught on the mirror. _Shit…_ She stuck her key in the ignition and pulled away as fast as she could. She cranked the heat up as high as it would go. As she drove down the empty two lane highway she pounded at her steering wheel and anger replaced fear as she yelled into the air.

She made it to the train station in record time; it would still be daylight by the time she got to Bangor, but just barely. She left her car in the parking lot and tucked the car keys in the visor for Alex who would be picking it up later in the day. She took the key to her apartment and shoved it into her inside coat pocket and strapped her purse across her chest. Abigail bought a one way ticket and made her way to the train, as she walked through the station people avoided her and gave her plenty of space. She wasn't aware of how she might look. When the train arrived she climbed on and took a seat in the furthest corner of the car. She sat there with only the last image of Willie to keep her company. She threw her hands up to her head and began to rock back and forth. She was scared and started to feel nauseous. It wasn't until the train pulled from the station that she realized she left both of her suitcases behind in her car.

The train clipped along through the beautiful Maine landscape, a distant cry from the inside of the train itself. The train was dirty and the yellow floor was stained with years of grime. She looked in front of her and there were hundreds of stickers covering the back of the fake green leather seat. She began to read them, most of them probably stuck up there by teenagers returning from Bangor after a band concert. Dead head stickers, a bumper sticker that read 'Do your own thing' and another one that had a yellow peace symbol and read 'if the van's rockin don't come knockin' but the word van was crossed out and train was written in above it. But there was one in the upper corner that caught her eye.

It was a yellow pentagram with a glowing blue eye in the center of it. _Witchcraft and psychic readings. We can provide the answers … It is up to you to believe in them._

Abigail stared at that sticker for most of the ride. The train made several stops to let people on and off and the other riders avoided sitting near her. It wasn't until a small boy asked his mom what was wrong with the dirty lady that she realized she must look like hell. Instinctively she tried to smooth out her long tangled curls.

As she continued to stare at the sticker she noticed the address listed on it was in Bangor and she was desperate. When the train pulled into the station she ripped the sticker off of the back of the seat and pulled out the leather book from her purse. She stuck the sticker on the inside back cover, it was a long shot, but it couldn't be any crazier than the current reality that she was living.

* * *

Willie rubbed his hands together and then reached down to his belt and quickly took it off. He stood there in the middle of the dark room with no idea what direction to go in. He held his hands out in front of him and walked forward until his hands came in contact with the damp cold wall. Willie followed the wall around and found one of the tunnels. He carefully walked forward into the tunnel remembering that the one he was looking for had a step. He backed out and continued to follow the wall until he finally hit the step. Willie stepped up and walked down the tunnel and eventually saw the dim light coming from the flickering candles in the basement.

Willie stood in front of the coffin and slowly opened it. There Barnabas lay and Willie's hatred for It bubbled into his throat. Willie searched around the room and then ran back up the stairs into the kitchen. He opened the back door and snatched the small axe from the wood pile. He hurried back into the kitchen, pulled out the wooden broom and began to hack away at the end of it, sharpening it into a rough point. With one whack he chopped the back end of the broom off and headed back down the stairs.

Willie looked at Barnabas and raised his hands over his head with the crudely sharpened stick between them. He stood there for several minutes. _Do it… just do it and it will all be over. DO IT! _His hands started to shake and he screamed in anger as he dropped the piece of wood to the floor. Willie sank to the ground across from the coffin against the brick wall, he couldn't stop shaking.

"I'm sorry Abby…" Willie was whispering to himself. "I couldn't do it. I'm a coward. I can't do it…I can't…It won't let me…"

Willie sat against the wall and he was numb, he sat in silence just waiting for his captor to wake up. He picked up the wooden stake and held it in his hand as his mind drifted to a dark place, a place that he often went to before he ever laid eyes on Abigail. He looked down at his thin shirt and then held up the sharpened broom handle and pressed the point up against his chest. He wondered what it would feel like to have it plunged deep into it. It was in the blink of an eye that the point pressed harder through his shirt and broke into his skin, the vampire's hand was pressing firmly against the end of the stick with Its palm.

Willie looked up at Barnabas, his blue eyes radiating in fear.

"All I need to do is push it. It would be so easy." Barnabas then grabbed the wooden stick and tossed it into the corner of the room. It pulled Willie up off the ground and just stared at him.

"Where is she? Where did she go?"

"I-I don't know. She didn't tell me." Willie really wasn't sure where she was headed. He assumed back to Chicago, but she could be going anywhere.

Barnabas put Willie back down and paced around the coffin.

"You know what needs to happen. You know she can't know."

"NO! Baranbas No… she's gone. She won't come back here… she won't tell. Please … I'm begging you." Willie was walking around the coffin opposite his captor.

"That is NOT how it WORKS!" Barnabas was enraged. "You betrayed me Willie."

"No..I – I didn't tell her anything. She found out on her own. Barnabas.. why… why would I tell her? I love her! Why would I put her in danger like that? Think about it! It doesn't make sense!"

Barnabas stopped pacing and looked at his servant. It was true, it didn't make any sense. Barnabas rushed past Willie and up the stairs into the great room, Willie ran and followed.

"Where are you going?" Willie stood opposite Barnabas as It grabbed Its cane and turned on Willie. Out of pure anger struck It him in the side and Willie fell to the floor. Another blow and then another came down on him until he could barely get up.

"S-Stop…please."

Barnabas pulled the cane up one last time and then yelled into the air as he opened the doors and left the house.

Willie pulled himself up, pain ringing through the blows, and walked to the porch. Barnabas was gone…not a trace of him in the darkness. Willie sat down in one of the chairs in the great room praying that she was long gone and that It didn't find her.

* * *

It was just barely light out and Abigail looked at the address on the sticker and then looked up at the numbers on the buildings. Every number but the one she needed was there. She walked up and down the same street over and over, it was still pouring rain and she was freezing and soaked. She then noticed a very narrow alleyway between two of the buildings. It was so narrow that she could reach out both hands and touch both buildings with her fingertips. She walked down the alley and there was stairwell that led down below the street level. She walked down the stairs and came to a door with the same symbol as the sticker painted on the door.

Abigail stood at the door fearful of what might happen next, but there was no turning back. She knocked on the door several times when it creaked open and she was greeted by a cheerful woman.

"Um.." Abigail didn't even get to mutter more than that when the women pulled her into the building.

"Oh my! Oh honey you are soaking wet! Look at ya! You're just dripping with the rain. Come in…come in… you must be freezing." The woman instantly began to help get her coat off and had her sit down on a red velvet couch. "Such a nasty day to be out walking around."

She was a very large woman in a purple satin blouse that had a plunging neckline and a black skirt that had a slit in it that ran all the way up her leg. Her hair was long and piled up on the top of her head. Abigail looked around the room and there wasn't a single inch of uncovered wall. There were things hanging everywhere, all kinds of things. Old pictures and decorative plates mixed in with different odds and ends. It was overwhelming. There were shelves everywhere and a thousand bottles of various things sitting on them.

Abigail noticed the smell too, it smelled like church incense mixed in with roses that had been sitting in a vase too long. It was an odd mix and the smell combined with the busyness of the walls and the heat in the room was a sensory overload.

"I-my name is Abigail… I…um…" Abigail was at a loss for words, she didn't know where to begin and she just stared down at her hands.

"Abigail… I am Moira." She handed Abigail a cup of coffee and when Abigail lifted her head and looked into the women's eyes she backed away from her and the smile on the jovial woman's face slowly faded. "What brings you here Abigail." The previously jovial woman turned and walked to the other side of the room, a serious tone replacing the bubbly one from just a moment ago.

Abigail sat there and then pulled out the leather book.

"I-I have a problem. You-you won't believe it…I- there's a - well … hmm… you know I should just go…" Abigail started to feel foolish as she was about to verbalize to another living person what was happening. She sounded crazy and embarrassed.

As Abigail began to stand the large woman walked to her and put her hand on her shoulder pressing her gently back down to sit on the couch. "You are in trouble. There is a dark shadow that surrounds you."

Abigail looked at the woman and her eyes sparked with fear.

Abigail spent the next hour or two explaining the events that led her to this strange little shop in Bangor. She pulled out the book and let Moira read it. Another hour had passed and after all of the information had been exchanged Moira looked at Abigail and asked her a very simple question.

"Are you prepared to do anything to save your boy?"

"Yes… Yes anything…" She didn't even hesitate.

"Every spell, every curse has an undoing…a way out. It is up to the one that casts the spell to set the parameters."

"How…How can I find out what they are?"

"We need to invoke the one who cast the spell." Moria spoke the words as if this was an every day occurrence.

"How do we do that… can we do it here? Can you do it? Can we do it now?" Abigail was nervous and talking fast.

"Calm down Abby. You should get a decent nights rest. I have a feeling that you are going to need your strength"

"No… there is no time! You- You don't understand…"

"My dear…if this man is truly a Vampire there is nothing you can do until morning."

Abigail looked at her watch and fear struck her heart for Willie. Barnabas was up now and would certainly have him in his clutches.

"Oh God Willie…" Abigail whispered as she sighed. "Can we at least find out what it is I have to do? I'll need to return to Collinsport first thing in the morning." Abigail looked at the woman, her expression pleading and tears running down her face. "It's going to hurt him… It probably already has… It might kill him."

"Very well…" Moira pulled two pillows from the couch and dropped them on the floor into the middle of the room and motioned for Abigail to sit on one of them. Abigail did as she was told and then watched the large woman grab a jar from one of the dozens of shelves that covered the walls and handed it to her.

"Just hold it." She then walked over to a radio and turned it on, Abigail grinned when she recognized the singer…

"Neil Diamond…" she whispered. "Willie hates Neil Diamond…"

Moira then changed the station to one that didn't come in. Only static came out of the speakers and she lowered the volume so that it was a steady sound in the background. Abigail started to get nervous. The large woman joined Abigail on the floor and asked her to pour the contents of the jar in a circle around them. Abigail stood up and did as she was told and then sat back down across from Moira.

"Abby. Are you sure you want to do this? Do you love the boy?"

"Y-Yes…yes…I love him."

"Take a deep breath Abby and concentrate your thoughts. It is time to begin…"


	23. Chapter 23 - Another Way

Another Way

Willie walked into the kitchen and pulled the aspirin bottle from the cupboard hoping that it would give him some relief from the pain of the fresh blows he was just given. It was a pretty minor attack he thought considering the current situation and the pure absurdity of the thought…the fact that any kind of attack was acceptable made him shake his head as he thought about what his life had become.

Thoughts of Abigail were constant too. There was nothing he could do now…just pray that she was long gone…it was then that the aching loneliness set in. He walked up the back stairs and down the long hallway and was drawn for some reason into Josette's room.

Willie stood in the doorway and looked around, there was a lot of work to be done in here, but there were some aspects of it that Barnabas had tended to himself in painstaking detail. Willie looked at the dressing table and every single thing on it was in perfect order. The perfume bottle, the hairbrush, even the hairpins were in perfect rows sitting in a small porcelain dish that was the perfect size for them. Willie opened one of the drawers and each piece of jewelry that sat in it was arranged with precision. It hadn't really dawned on Willie how much Barnabas really loved this dead woman in the picture. Sure Barnabas was completely demented now and has stalker like tendencies for the woman, but the vampire loved her all the same.

As Willie looked around the room, looking at the dresses that were hung in the closet and the shoes that were arranged just so he started to feel the slightest bit of pity for Barnabas. Truth was Barnabas was lonely too, having lost something so precious to him. When he thought about Barnabas being a man who was completely in love and, for whatever reason, having his fate turn him into a beast, driving his love to end her own life, it was tragic.

_Knock it off Loomis. You were just beaten by It and It wants to kill the only thing you have left in the world. _Willies inner voice was chastising him. Willie shook his head and nervously paced the house.

* * *

Abigail closed her eyes and took a deep breath and Moira started to speak. She summoned the ones who could help with the curse and as she spoke a cold breeze flashed through the room and Abigail opened her eyes. Moira was still sitting across from her but her eyes were tightly shut and she was muttering things to herself. Some of it was coherent and some wasn't.

"It came to them in the middle of the night." She said quietly. Moira had tears running down her cheeks. "It came to them and fed off of them until they were empty. Young ones… girls." She then sat and talked under her breath. Abigail was straining to hear her and was getting more and more frighted.

"CONCENTRATE ABIGAIL!" Moira sat straight up and screamed at Abigail. Moira's eyes were black and distant. It scared Abigail so intensely that she nearly jumped out of the circle, but she held her breath and shut her eyes tight as she pushed away her overwhelming urge to run like hell. She stopped listening to Moira and only concentrated on Willie and her love for him and her need to set him free. She begged for help.

The many things on the walls started to shake and Abigail reached her hands up and held them over her ears as the white noise in the background grew louder and louder. The smell of jasmine filled the air. Abigail's fear was building.

Abigail was sitting there, rocking back and forth, her hands up to her ears, talking under her breath when Moira placed a hand on her knee. Abigail screamed in fear until she opened her eyes and saw the woman in front of her looking perfectly normal.

With more than a little effort Moira managed to stand up.

"It's over." She picked up the pillows from the ground after Abby stood up and sat down on the couch. She motioned for Abby to come sit next to her.

Abigail sat down and stared at her. Moira grabbed both her hands and squeezed them.

"My dear girl. The things this man did to those poor girls. They appeared to me. They were all so frightened. The one called Josette appeared. She saw the witch cast the spell. Angelique."

"Josette…" Abigail remembered the bedroom.

"The cursed one…Barnabas… he must feed from the witch's bloodline."

"What? I don't understand…"

"The only way to reverse the curse is to have him drink from someone that is from the witch's bloodline."

Abigail started to laugh a frustrated laugh. "Are you serious? Are you talking about a descendant of a witch? This Angelique person? How the hell am I supposed to find someone?"

Abigail stood up and began to pace around the room muttering to herself.

"Oh excuse me miss.. I heard you were related to a witch… would you mind if a blood thirsty vampire fed off of you so I can break the curse?" She was dripping in sarcasm and Moira watched half expecting this reaction.

Abigail finally stopped pacing and looked at Moira. "So what you are saying is that this is nearly impossible."

"Abby sit…sit" Abigail sat down with a heavy sigh.

"The bloodline is not as far away as you think."

"What are you talking about…"

"Abigail… Angelique's last name was Bouchard."

"Bouchard?... Bouchard…" Abigail gasped and brought both hands up to her mouth, she looked up at Moira with a blank stare.

"Breathe Abby…"

"I…I have to go… "

"Abby wait… you must understand what will happen. This is extremely dangerous for all involved."

"Willie?" Abigail turned to her just as she was about to put her coat on.

"Yes especially Willie."

She had Abigail's full attention and she sat back down and draped her coat over her knees.

"Barnabas must feed from the bloodline, but he will feed ferociously. His blood lust will become heightened. He will crave the blood of his beholden one."

"Willie… oh my god"

"And Willie will have a strong desire to go to him. Stronger than his own will. Stronger than he has ever had. He will go to him even though he will know it is certain death. If Barnabas reaches him Abby, he will kill him, it will only take seconds. He will drain the boy completely."

"No…NO!"

"And if by some chance the two remain separated, Willie will become violently ill until the curse is fully lifted."

"When … when will it be lifted? How long?" Abigail's mind was spinning.

"I don't know… he will need to feed off of the bloodline until the curse is lifted. The woman, Josette, she didn't say how long." Moira paused and then grasped Abigail's hands once again. "Abigail...if he feeds too much you will die…"

"Fuck!" Abigail stood up and then apologized for her outburst. "Why couldn't it have just been a potion or reciting a spell… maybe kill a goat or a cow or something… I could do that… but this? " Abigail stood up again and started to pace. "Why can't I just kill him. Stake to the heart kind of stuff."

"No NO!" Moira stood up and walked to Abby. "If you kill Barnabas and the curse is not reversed, the beholden one will die. They are connected." Abigail stared right through her and started to feel sick.

"Moira…I- I need something that will knock him out." She asked guiltily as she put on her coat. "I need to keep him safe. Do you have anything … anything at all that will knock him out long enough for me to make sure he doesn't leave."

Moira pulled a jar down from the wall of everything and then reached into the drawer of a large apothecary chest. She pulled out a syringe and filled it with the substance from the jar.

"No magic here Abby… just good old fashioned chemistry. It will knock him out but only for a very short time. You will need to move fast." She capped the needle and handed it to Abby.

"Abby one more thing… you will want to wear something of Josette's if possible. Something he will recognize. In Its frenzy it may be the one thing that keeps him from draining you completely, It loves her. You will need to find something Abby."

Abigail looked at the woman and threw her arms around Moira. "I'm so scared." Moira gripped her tight and whispered in her ear. "Do whatever you have to in order to keep your boy in a safe place. Have faith and remember your love for him."

Abigail was almost out the door when she saw several pairs of handcuffs sitting in a basket mixed in with other strange types of devices.

"Can I have these?" Moira looked at her curiously and nodded.

Abby grabbed two sets and stuck them into her pockets. She left the strange little place and rushed up the stairs and ran as fast as she could to the train station. It was nearly morning.

* * *

Willie was in the great room sitting anxiously by the fire when he heard a thunderous crash through the back door.

"WILLIE!" Barnabas yelled out his name as he stormed into room and every hair stood up on end as Willie jumped up and stood behind one of the chairs as if it was somehow a force field between himself and the beast that was before him. Barnabas' eyes were black and he was very clearly furious.

"B-Barnabas …"

"Where…where did she go?"

"Y-you didn't find her?" _Oh thank God!_ "I told ya…I don't know where she is…she didn't tell me."

Barnabas began to walk towards Willie and Willie tried to back away until he backed himself into a corner. Barnabas grabbed his shirt collar and Willie braced himself. Barnabas threw Willie to the ground and he started to crawl across the floor when he felt Its steel grip on his foot. He tried to grab anything as he was pulled closer and closer to It.

Willie lifted his head up and looked out the window. The sun was starting to rise.

"Barnabas… BARNABAS! The sun!" Willie shook his head disgusted that he had warned him. Even in the face of a brutal beating by It he was sworn to protect it.

Barnabas turned and disappeared down the basement steps, leaving him breathless on the floor.

Willie was exhausted and relieved that she left and It didn't find her. He might take another beating tonight, and even tomorrow but eventually over time Willie thought that she would be safe and the punishments would go back to their normal fare.

Willie was unable to keep his eyes open another minute; his body was exhausted and fell asleep on the floor.

* * *

There was a pounding on the door of the old house that woke Willie. He looked around and was slightly disoriented finding himself on the floor of the great room. The pounding continued and he wondered who on earth it could be and when he looked out the front window he found Abigail standing there.

"Shit!"

He stood up and rushed to open the door and as soon as it opened she lunged at him. "Oh thank God you're still alive." Willie groaned and almost doubled over in pain. Abigail stood back and looked at him. "What did he do? Oh God what did he do to you?" She reached over and pulled up his shirt before he could react. Nothing but black and blue marks covered his side. "Willie…"

Willie quickly tucked his shirt in and held her out at arm's length.

"Wha.. Abby… W-What are you doing here!? Are you crazy?" Willie then took a good look at her. She looked so tired and her clothes and face were covered in dirt. Her hair was tangled in knots and she looked as though she had been crying for days.

"I ... I need you to drive me to my apartment Willie." Her apartment was the one place that Barnabas would not be able to get to him. The vampire had never been invited in and would not be able to cross the threshold. She had to get Willie there and find a way to keep him there.

"What? Why? Why haven't you left? I thought you left? Where have you been?" Willie dragged his hand through his hair as he always did when he was nervous.

"I did leave…but I forgot some things including my suitcases. I was in such a hurry…" Abigail rolled her eyes, it was almost the truth, and she tried to pretend she was scattered and really intended to leave for good.

"I made it all the way to Bangor and had to turn around. I changed my flight to tonight. I left my car at the train station but Alex picked it up already. I got a cab here…Willie please take me to my apartment and then to the station."

"Abby… geeze!" Willie was having a difficult time believing this. "Abby what happened? Please tell me what's going on."

"Please Willie…I just need to get back to my apartment." She was adamant and desperate and started to cry.

"Okay…okay…please… don't cry…" Willie hugged her still trying to figure out what was going on, but clearly she was upset. "I-I'll take you…but we need to go now."

Willie grabbed his keys and they abruptly left and climbed in the truck.

"Abby honey…you are taking such a huge risk by coming back here. You should have left. Anything you forgot you could have just gotten new." Abigail tucked in close to him, knowing that the next few hours or possibly days were going to be hell for him.

"Willie…how bad…how bad is it?" Abigail ran her hand gently against his side.

"I- I'm okay. Still breathing…that's all that matters right?"

They arrived at the apartment and headed up. Abigail pulled the key from her inside pocket and opened the door. They both went in and Willie looked around for the suitcases.

"Abby…where are your suitcases? I'll bring them down." Abigail ignored him and fished out the syringe from her purse and then walked into her bedroom.

"They are in here Willie…" Willie walked into the bedroom and Abigail hugged him and then thrust the syringe into his thigh.

"I'm sorry Willie… but it's the only way…" Abigail's eyes filled with tears and Willie stood back and looked at her in shock.

"What-what are you doing? Wh-what was that?" The room started to get foggy and he got lightheaded and dizzy. Abigail stood next to him and guided him backwards towards the end of the bed. She sat him down and just like that he was unconscious.

She knew there wasn't much time, Moira said it would only last a few minutes so she needed to move fast. Abigail climbed up on the bed and wrapped her arms under his and dragged him up to the headboard. She then pulled the handcuffs from her pockets and fastened each hand to the spindles on the headboard.

She ran into the living room and grabbed the big red blanket and pulled it over him. The entire time she tried not to cry as she did this to him. He had already been through so much. Abigail stood at the end of the bed and looked at him and she felt sick. She ran to the bathroom where her stomach relieved itself forcing her to heave over the cold porcelain.

When it finally relented she stood up and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. _Holy God…you look like hell. _

Abigail rushed around the bedroom looking for any clothes she may have left behind, she desperately needed to change. She found a pair of sweatpants and an old sweatshirt and threw them on and she grabbed one of her old baseball caps and tucked her hair up in a ponytail and dragged it through the back of the cap. As she was digging though her closet for a pair of tennis shoes she heard Willie start to wake. Moira was right, he wasn't out for very long.

"W-what? What the hell?... Abby! Abby! Hey!" Willie started to tug his arms.

Abby crawled out of the closet, shoes in hand, and stood in front of him. The look he gave her was a painful one and it crushed her. "Abby…what's going on? Let me out of these. This isn't funny…"

Abigail dropped the shoes to the floor and walked over to him and sat on the bed.

"Willie…I'm sorry…it's the only way. You will be safe here, he can't come in here…but you will be called to him and I can't risk you leaving."

"Abigail…what are you talking about?"

"The curse…there is a cure for it."

"What? No… please let me out."

"Willie listen to me… if Barnabas is killed you will die as well. You are tied to him, that's why you can't kill him. The curse needs to be lifted, it is the only way you will be free."

"Abby listen to yourself… you're not thinking clearly." Willie tugged harder against the cuffs and Abigail reached up and held one of his hands.

"Willie…I have to go. Once the curse begins to reverse…y-you are going to get violently ill" Abigail started to cry.

"What? Oh God…Abby what are you going to do?"

"…an-and you will want to go to him. Y-you can't go to him Willie! If he finds you before he is cured he will kill you."

Abigail stood up and grabbed an old dry coat from her closet and pulled it on.

"Abby you sound crazy...please…what are you going to do? Please let me go PLEASE!"

Abigail walked over to Willie and kissed him.

"Abby please don't do this…"

"He needs to feed from the bloodline that cursed him. Only that will lift the curse."

Abigail then turned around and fished out her grandmothers cross from the top drawer of her desk and shoved it into her pocket.

"What? What are you talking about? Feed? Feed from who? Who does he need to feed from!?" Willie paused for a moment and stared at her, he then began to thrash against the cuffs.

"Fuck! No NO! Abby NO! Abby please…please tell me it's not you…I – I won't let you…" Willie continued to thrash and tug to get loose and the cuffs cut into his wrists.

Abigail stopped and looked at him. "Angelique Bouchard. The one who did this to Barnabas is named Bouchard… My Great Grandmother is Rose Bouchard. I'm so sorry Willie…I don't want to leave you like this…but I have to go. It's the only way. You are safe here. Please just hold on until I get back." She gave him one more kiss and he just stared at her .

"No Abby NO! Please … don't go … Abby! ABBY! There has to be another way!"

Abigail walked out of the room as Willie called her and she grabbed his keys and left the apartment. She walked to the truck and climbed in and headed back to the old house.


	24. Chapter 24 - Reversal

**Reversal**

Abigail fumbled key after key on the front porch of the old house fishing through Willie's key chain to find the one for the front door. _So many keys _she thought to herself. She knew one would go to the basement and the thought of what was down there frightened her.

After trying a half dozen keys one finally fit and she opened it and walked in. She laid her purse down on the small table and shook the large key ring as she walked towards the basement door. She wasted no time. It was later than she thought and it wouldn't be long before nightfall. Abigail decided to explore the basement and find out what was down there before Barnabas awoke.

She flipped through the many keys again and pulled out the a skeleton key and slipped it into the door. It fit perfect. A musty smell hit her face as she opened the door and the stairway was dark. Abigail turned and grabbed one of the many candelabras and looked through the drawers of the desk to find matches. She found them almost instantly along with some of the finest stationary she had ever seen. She wondered who on earth Barnabas had to write to.

She grabbed the matches and lit the candles and headed carefully down the steps. When she reached the bottom she found herself in a large room filled with a thousand cobwebs and a solitary coffin in the center. It wasn't a surprise to her but actually seeing it there where she could physically touch it was terrifying.

She thought about the one she had found in the crypt but this was different. This time she knew when she opened it she would find him. She slowly lifted the lid, her hands shaking, and pushed it open. When she saw Barnabas lying there her fear consumed her and she fell to the ground in tears. _I don't know if I can do this…please give me the strength to do this..._

She sat there for several minutes trying to pull herself together and summon her courage. She stood up and remembered what Moira had told her. _Wear something of hers…_

Abigail left the lid open and went up to Josette's room. She looked through the dressing table and found jewelry beyond her imagination. She thought it must be worth a fortune. She then walked over to the closet and pulled out one of the dresses. They were yellowed and tattered, but they were _hers._ Abigail pulled off her sweatshirt and sweatpants and lifted one of the dresses over her head. She chose a simple one, one that was probably a nightgown. It was a little large for her but she pulled the ribbons and tied it in the back.

Abigail took several of the hair pins and tried to pin up her now extremely messy mop. Her loose dark brown curls were falling every which way. She pulled out a necklace and draped it around her neck and clasped it in the back. When she looked at herself in the mirror she was sickened. She looked up at the picture and then back to herself and was a little surprised at the resemblance. _Of course you look like her…you're wearing her clothes. _Abigail tried to make light of it.

She returned to the great room and looked out the front window, the sun would disappear any minute now. She descended down the basement steps and stood in front of It … waiting … she would be brave and go through with this, she just kept thinking of Willie. She tucked her grandmothers cross inside her bra and stood against the wall. _Don't run…don't run…Willie…I love you._

* * *

Barnabas went to lift the lid of the coffin and found it was already opened. His eyes flashed black instantly. He sat up and saw her standing there, looking at him, dressed in Josette's clothes. He was confused and just stared at her.

She stared back and didn't say a word, there was no turning back now.

Without so much as a sigh the vampire had Abigail up against the wall, his face only an inch from hers and he was holding her in place, his cold long hands gripped against her wrists, pinning her there. Abigail stared at Its black eyes and tears were streaming down her face. It then brought Its face up next to hers and whispered in her ear.

"You should have left things alone. The boy belongs to me." It then released one of her arms only to pull her head to the side. Abigail squirmed in Its grip and then she felt a cold sharp pain that pierced into her neck. Barnabas sunk deep into her and she tried to scream but no sounds were heard. Pain ran through every inch of her body and she went limp as It continued to hold her up and feed from her.

When Barnabas pulled out he left her barely conscious. He wrapped his long arm around her waist and pulled her through the basement and into the cell. He tossed her on the small cot and quickly exited, shutting and locking to door behind him. Abigail lay on the bed gripping at the mattress trying to pull herself up. She felt nauseous and couldn't stop spinning. She could feel every inch of her body pulsate with her heart beat. She prayed that the reversal had begun and only thought of Willie as she laid there.

* * *

Willie pulled against the cuffs again, he had been trying to get himself loose with no success and his wrists were now raw from twisting them against the metal. As he lay there he was blindsided with a pain that struck deep in his stomach, it was so intense that it took his breath away. He gasped for air as he lay there, the stomach pain worsening. Willie looked out the window and it was dark. _No..NO! Oh Abby NO NO!_ He knew something had happened and the pain that he was feeling began to spread through his body.

* * *

After feeding from her Barnabas rushed up the stairs and had a blood lust that was ferocious. It desperately wanted to find Willie, It craved him. The last time Barnabas had a fraction of this craving was the night he found Willie in the well. He remembered he had a small taste of her from the back entrance when he found her blood in the snow. There was something about her that made him so frenzied and his need to get to Willie grew.

Barnabas sent out his call to Willie and rushed out the door with inhuman speed finding himself at the front entrance of Abigail's apartment. It stood there and grew impatient knowing that It couldn't go in. _Wretched girl! _ The vampire would need to draw Willie out.

Willie was sitting in the bed, his knees brought tight to his chest in attempts to relieve the pain when his head started to pound. _He's here…_ Willie pulled again but couldn't get loose. He began to tremble as the pain went away.

Barnabas paced the hallway of the apartment and his blood lust continued to grow. He felt as though he was losing control of himself. He was getting impatient and headed back to the old house…back to Abigail. He needed to feed.

As soon as Barnabas left Willie let out a cry as the pain again returned and the room began to spin.

* * *

Abigail pulled herself up and sat on the cot. She was extremely weak from the feeding and prayed that the reversal had started. As she sat there she heard someone coming down the stairs. She knew who it was. She backed up against the wall and Barnabas opened the door of the cell and rushed in grabbing her. She slipped off of the cot and managed to crawl through the cell door but It was right behind her and grabbed her from behind and pulled her back into the small room. Abigail tried to push It off with her hands but Barnabas simply grabbed them in one hand and again bored himself into her neck. Her blood was intoxicating for him and he wanted to have more. As he fed she began to pray and she managed to fish out her grandmothers cross and hold it up to his chest. Barnabas instantly dropped her to the ground and retreated from the cell, again locking her in.

* * *

Willie was squirming in the bed. He was sweating and he felt like there were bugs crawling under his skin. It was maddening and then suddenly the torment subsided. Willie looked out the window again and this time saw Barnabas standing there, staring through the window. The two just stared at one another and Willie noticed that the face he was seeing was not that of Barnabas, any human qualities that the beast did have were gone. Its face was now deeply dark and sinister and it frightened Willie in an entirely new way. He needed to go to It, It was calling to him.

Barnabas looked in and saw Willie struggling to get free from the bed. He now realized that he was not going to be able to get to him and he was infuriated. In a flash the vampire disappeared from the window and headed back to the old house. This time he would feed from the girl and drain her for what she had done.

As soon as Barnabas left Willie the feelings and torment began again and Willie started to beg and plead into the air for this torture to be over and for Abigail to be safe.

* * *

Abigail lifted her head off of the floor just barely able to focus and found Barnabas hovering over her.

"No…no…please…" She was whispering as she tried to push herself across the floor away from it. Barnabas reached down and pulled her into his arms and stared at her. He felt strange. He was light headed and nauseous but still craved the taste of her. It reached down and once again began to feed from her and she went completely limp in his arms.

Barnabas' vision began to blur and he pulled out of her. He stared at her and tried to focus, he didn't feel right and was having difficulty concentrating. He couldn't remember where he was or what he was doing and when he looked down at the Abigail he gasped.

"Josette…my Josette." He picked her up and laid her down on the cot. He was disoriented and his strength was drained. Barnabas tried to stand but he collapsed on the bed next to her. He fought the feelings but eventually slipped into a deep sleep.

* * *

Willie once again felt the pangs in his stomach and he knew that she was being drained. His entire body started to shake and he felt helpless. He pulled at the cuffs over and over, his body getting heavier and heavier. He lay there and felt like he was sinking deeper and deeper into the bed. He tried to stay awake but darkness wrapped around him and he slipped into the fog.

* * *

Abigail turned her head as she lay on the cot. She opened her eyes only for a moment and saw Barnabas lying next to her. _Moira was wrong… there is no cure… _Thoughts swirled in her head and she knew that she would not survive another attack. She made an attempt to pull herself up but couldn't. Her thoughts turned to Willie and she began to cry _I'm sorry ... so sorry... It... it didn't work_. Abigail fought to keep her eyes open fearful that if she fell asleep she may never wake again, but she didn't win and darkness pulled her down.

* * *

Willie woke and his body felt as though it would shatter into a million pieces. He looked out the window and it was daylight. _Oh God Abigail..._ He wasn't sure what time it was. He had given up trying to get himself loose, but he realized that the need to get to Barnabas was gone.

Willie's stomach was still sick and the sour knot that visited him often was back. He was exhausted and dozed on and off throughout the entire day, battling the sickening feeling he had and the dread he felt. _Why...why hasn't she come back? Please let her be ok..._

* * *

An entire day had passed and it was again evening before Barnabas awoke surprised to find himself lying on the small cot next to Abigail. He quickly stood up and gently rolled her over. He looked down at her in Josette's clothes and it made him ache for his missing love, but he felt different. The blood lust was gone. Emotions came rushing at him and he felt strange, he felt human again. He then reached down to pick Abigail up and as he did she protested in the faintest of voices, never opening her eyes.

"No more…please… no more… no more…" tears were rolling uncontrollably down her face as he carried her up the stairs to the great room, but he didn't stop there. He carried her up the second flight of stairs and laid her down in Willie's bed. Barnabas started a giant fire that made the room exceptionally warm. He covered her with the thick blankets from Josette's room.

Barnabas sat down next to the bed in the chair and in a quiet voice began to speak to her.

"Ms. Chilton, you are a brave girl." There was no response from her.

"I'll be back Ms. Chilton, I'm going to go get Willie. Abigail… I'm going to get him… hold on… he'll be here soon…" With that Barnabas ran down the stairs and riffled through Abigail's purse and found her key. He also found the leather book that belonged to his father. He held it up and then pulled it in close to his chest. He remembered his father writing in the book nearly every night. He placed the book on the table and then left the house and went out to the truck.

Barnabas stood there for a moment with a serious problem before him. He was a man now and he had no idea how to drive. He ran through the woods to Collinwood and pounded on the door. He was greeted by Victoria.

"Ms. Winters… I – I have a very large favor to ask of you. I require a ride into town."

Victoria was more than happy to provide the ride for him and as they pulled into town he had her drop him off at the Library. He didn't want her to know where he was going.

"Won't you be needing a ride back Mr. Collins?"

"No, I'll have Willie pick me up. Thank you for the ride." Victoria pulled away and as soon as she was out of sight Barnabas walked as quickly as he could to Abigail's apartment. He rushed up to her floor and stood in front of her door as he pulled her key out of his pocket.

Before he crossed the threshold he paused wondering if he really could. He took one step and all seemed fine. Another step and then another and soon he was in the kitchen. He could hear Willie yelling from another room.

"Abby! Is that you? ABBY!" Willie lay in the bed still tied to the bed posts. He was drenched in sweat. When Barnabas walked through the door Willie went white.

"What? You… YOU! No… Oh God! Where… where is she? WHERE IS SHE?" Willie was pulling as hard as ever against the bindings. His wrists were bleeding from the cuffs cutting into him.

"Willie calm down…please. Your Ms. Chilton reversed the curse. Please." Barnabas walked to the bed and reached over looking at the cuffs. Willie shifted his entire body as far away as he could.

"Where is the key?" Barnabas looked at Willie and his eyes were wild with terror.

"Willie calm down. Where is the key?"

"I-I don't know... please where is she?" Barnabas left the room and looked around the kitchen thankful to find a small key on the kitchen counter. He returned to Willie and unlocked one of the cuffs. Willie pulled his hand down and covered his head when Barnabas approached to unlock the other cuff. As soon as both hands were free Willie flew off the bed and backed up into the far corner of the room.

"J-Just stay away…"

"Willie…I would not have been able to enter the apartment if I were still…If the curse was still there."

Willie tried to catch his breath as he looked at him.

"Willie don't you feel any different? We are not connected anymore." The look on Barnabas' face was serious and he almost looked afraid.

Willie didn't know how he felt, he spent the last 24 hours in excruciating pain, he did know that most of his body hurt. But one thing was different, the strange feeling he always had in the back of his mind seemed to disappear. The feeling of something always being there, always watching…that gnawing feeling was gone. Willie then shifted his focus.

"Abigail…" Willie rushed up on Barnabas and shouted. "Where is she!"

"She's back at the house… Willie… I… She isn't well." Barnabas wasn't sure what or how to say what her current state was. In all honesty Barnabas wasn't really sure what would happen to her.

Willie walked past Barnabas and out of the apartment, Barnabas followed and stood next to Willie in the street in front of the apartment building.

"Where's the truck?" Willie looked at him.

"I-well I had Ms. Winters drop me off. We will need to get a cab."

Willie rolled his eyes, _Fuck me…he doesn't drive. _

Willie knew a taxi would take a small lifetime to get in that town. Then he spotted Dale, one of the asshole kids from that night in the woods. Dale was getting into his car across the street. Willie ran over to him and threw the kid up against the car door. Barnabas watched in surprise.

"Look ya little shit. I'm takin' your car. You owe me that much… and if ya say a word I'll tell your fuckin' dad what ya did, that ya left me for dead out there in those woods. I don't think Mr. Collins will be any too happy about it either." Willie pointed over to Barnabas who was standing across the street looking dumfounded.

Willie held his hand out for the keys and Dale was shaking he was so scared. He handed the keys over to Willie and Willie motioned for Barnabas to get in. "You can pick up your car at the old house tomorrow. Got it?" Dale just stood there shaking his head. He didn't even utter a single word.

Willie and Barnabas drove to the old house in record time. There were no words spoken, both men were at a total loss.

They pulled up to the old house and after Willie parked both men got out and rushed for the front door.

"Where is she?"

"In your bedroom." Willie pushed Barnabas out of his way and darted up the stairs and ran into his room. He froze for a moment in fear when he saw her there lying listless on the bed.

"Abby…Oh God Abby!" He then rushed to the bed and climbed in against the headboard, pulling her limp body into his lap, her eyes were shut and her head fell back against his shoulder. It was a scene that was all too familiar for him. "I can't lose you… I can't. Please Abby don't leave me…I-I need you Abby. Everything I have ever had in this world is gone. Please…please stay with me. "

Barnabas stood in the doorway watching, this time not with jealousy or anger as he did when it was Willie lying there, this time it was with deep regret and sorrow. He stood there as a man this time, not as the cursed beast. He knew he had done this, he had caused this anguish.

"Willie…words cannot express how truly…" Before Barnabas could finish his thought Willie looked up at him and interrupted, tears holding at attention in his eyes.

"I'm losing her..." And with that he slowly closed his eyes and the tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm losing everything…she's all I have left." Willie pulled her in tight and he could no longer hold in the heavy sobs.

Barnabas looked at the pair and for the first time saw Willie as a man and not as a servant. He wasn't the same person that came to rob a grave that wretched day so long ago. No… that man was long gone. Here before him was a man who was deeply in love with this women, and she loved him back so completely, and he was losing her.

"P-please…leave us be…please…" Willie didn't look up at Barnabas, he just said the words as he continued to cradle her. Barnabas turned his gaze down to the floor and without a word turned and left the room.

* * *

Barnabas stood in the great room and looked around. It was a terribly odd feeling to be suddenly free of the monster. He looked at the furniture that he knew as a child and how everything in this room had been restored. He hadn't realized how much work that it must have taken to get it this way. He thought of Willie again and how difficult it must have been.

He walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, he was frightened, a feeling he had not had in a very long time.

* * *

Abigail felt warm, too warm and she tried to move her arms but couldn't, they were so heavy. She slowly blinked her eyes open and became somewhat aware of where she was.

"W-willie?" She managed the slightest of whispers against his neck.

Willie gently released his grip and laid her head back down into his arms and he stared at her.

"Willie…you're okay…" she smiled up at him and relief flooded every inch of her body. She tried to reach her hand up to touch his face but it dropped back down to the bed before she could manage to get it all the way there.

Willie then grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his face. "Abby…oh Abby…y-you can't leave me okay?"

"Never." She whispered. Willie held her all night as she slept, never once did he doze. He just watched her sleep and prayed that she would stay with him.

* * *

Abigail began to stir and Willie shifted beneath her so that she could get comfortable. She looked up at him and a tidal wave of relief washed over him.

"Hi." One simple word was all it took and Willie was on the verge of tears, but he held them back.

"Hi." He took her hand in his and held it next to his chest.

"I'm thirsty…can I have some tea?" She asked in a weak voice.

Willie nodded and carefully peeled himself out from under her and went down the back steps to get the pot of water. He put the water on the fire in the kitchen and then walked into the Great room while the water was heating. He found Barnabas staring out the front window.

Willie nervously joined him by his side but didn't say a word.

"Ms. Chilton…how is she?" Barnabas asked without looking at Willie.

"S-she'll be okay I think." Willie responded rather quietly.

"And you?"

Willie looked at him and his first thought was _What on earth do you care?_ But he swallowed that answer and responded.

"I'm…I'll be fine." Willie paused for a moment and with fear in his voice he spoke. "I-I'm leaving this house… and this town. I'm going as far away from here as I can … I'm taking her with me."

Barnabas didn't respond and they both stood there staring out in silence for a few minutes.

"It will rise at any moment now."

Willie had a serious expression on his face as he turned and studied this new human Barnabas.

"The sun…it will rise."

Willie looked back out the front window.

"Yeah..Yes…I guess so."

They both stood there looking out as the sun began to paint the morning horizon with gold and pink and it cast a warm glow through the window. It was a new day for both of them, it was the beginning.


	25. Chapter 25 - Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It was the wee hours of the morning and the sun had not come up. Willie still had trouble sleeping at night and was sitting at the kitchen table, his hands wrapped around a large mug of tea, starring at an envelope sitting in front of him. Abigail had the big red blanket pulled around her shoulders and she came up behind Willie and nuzzled into his neck, pulling the blanket around the both of them. Willie swung the chair around, a gentle smile lit up his eyes.

"Ah… I will never tire of that smile." Abigail said as she smiled back at him, brushing the messy blonde sweeps from his forehead. Willie pulled her onto his lap and kissed her softly.

"Merry Christmas Mrs. Loomis" She giggled as he ran his fingers down her sides.

"Can I make you anything for breakfast? Are you hungry?" Willie shook his head. She had asked that question almost every morning but even after a year of being free from Barnabas his appetite had not returned. There were other remnants of the hell he endured in that house too. Willie would forever carry the physical scars, but it was the night terrors that bothered Abigail the most. They still visited him frequently; more nights than Abigail cared to recount. She would try to wake him but it was always in vain, so she would just hold him as tightly as she could and softly wipe the tears from his face as he wept in his sleep until eventually the nightmares released him. It broke her heart and she wondered what Barnabas had done to him in those first few months to cause him such gut wrenching anguish, but Willie refused to talk about it. Abigail would do absolutely anything to see him smile.

After the last terrifying days in Collinsport they moved back to Chicago and got a small one bedroom apartment together. With her knowledge of historical architecture and Willie's ability to fix and restore just about anything they decided to start their own restoration business and although they didn't make much money at first the business was slowly growing and showing promise. It wasn't until the fall, almost a year since she first laid eyes on him, that they got married, just the two of them in a tiny little chapel. It was simple and without fanfare and it was perfect.

She looked at those pale blue eyes that sparkled when he smiled and she leaned in and kissed him and then reached over and grabbed the envelope that he had been staring at on the table.

"So are you going to open _this_ one?"

"No." Willie's tone went flat.

"Willie… he has sent one nearly every other week since we left. Aren't you just a little bit curious?" She waved the envelope in the air.

"No. I don't like the fact that he found our address to begin with." Willie lifted her off his lap and grabbed the envelope and threw it back on the table. "I think we should consider moving…"

"Not even a little curious?" She looked up at him and Willie grabbed either side of the blanket and pulled her in close to him. His face was serious.

"That man…thing…the things he did to me…and to you…I owe him nothing. I want him to just disappear, go away." Willie shook the thought of him out of his head and smiled back at Abigail. He kissed her on the forehead and tugged at the blanket "Come on…let's go back to bed."

"Okay…" She smiled back to him. "I'll be right there…" Willie walked back to the bedroom and she grabbed the envelope on the table. She pulled out a shoe box that was stashed on the top shelf in the closet and dropped it on top of the stack of unopened identical envelopes that was already occupying it.

* * *

Barnabas pulled out another piece of stationary and began to write, the opening sentence was the same as all the others, but this time the handwriting was messy and hurried.

_Dear Willie,_

_There are no words to express the remorse I carry for the pain that I have caused you. I do not deserve forgiveness for the things that I have done._

_I am writing to you for possibly the last time before she finds me. Angelique has returned and has vowed to revert me to my former state. If she succeeds I fear for you and Ms. Chilton. _

_Please take every precaution. I don't know what I will do if I am turned again into the monster I once was. I do not know if there will be any effect on you as a result._

_If you do not receive any more letters it is because I am no longer a man and I have gone back into the darkness._

_I pray you protect yourselves._

_Humbly and forever remorseful,_

_Barnabas_

Barnabas sealed the envelope and walked it over to Collinwood, leaving it with Victoria who dropped it in the mail for him.

He returned to the old house and opened the front door and froze.

_"_Angelique."

* * *

Abigail crawled into bed and huddled down into the blankets next to Willie facing him. They just looked at each other for a while, almost not believing that they were really there with one another. Abigail snuggled in closer to him, resting her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him to find that wonderful smile beaming back at her.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she stretched up to kiss him.

"Abby…I-I'm more than okay…I haven't been this okay in a very long time." She put her head back down on his chest and wrapped her arms around him and sighed contently.

"My boy…I love you Willie Loomis."

**A/N - This ends our story... for now. Many thanks to you for reading and following Willie and Abigail's journey with Barnabas. **

**The new sequel is out and titled "Return to Collinwood" It is M rated so you will need to make sure your story filter includes M if you want to see it show up. Thanks Again!**


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